


Symbiosis

by Amalya



Category: 2NE1, B.A.P, Big Bang (Band), DBSK | Tohoshinki | TVfXQ | TVXQ, SHINee, Shinhwa (Band), Teen Top (Band), VIXX, f(x)
Genre: Adventure, Crack Relationships, Dragons, F/M, Fantasy, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-22
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2020-07-10 17:49:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 71
Words: 337,334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19909744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amalya/pseuds/Amalya
Summary: They call it Symbiosis – the process in which a dragon and rider become one.“I am yours and you are mine”Connected.Bound.Partners for life.Not every person who seeks to become a rider is fit for the role and even those who are deemed worthy do not always survive the encounter. It is not a profession for the faint of heart or those who lack the dedication necessary to earn their place amidst the honored ranks of riders.But for those who are able to rise to the challenge, it is the pinnacle of honor among men and the epitome of never being alone again.It is an honor Taekwoon will have to earn, but all of his preparation and training may not be enough when friends become foes, bonds are tested and broken, and everything he thought he knew begins to crumble beneath his feet.





	1. Bahamut's Aerie

The main gate loomed in front of Taekwoon like a giant mouth, and he held tighter to the young priest’s hand as they approached the yawning opening. As they walked, a continuous stream of people moved around them, brushing close but never quite touching the Priest or the child he led. They were mostly farmers coming in from the fields, heavily laden with their crops and goods. Ahead, a handful of guards flanked the gates to make sure the odd thief didn’t pester the men on their return.

His little legs ached from the long journey and there was a rock in one of his sandals but Taekwoon couldn’t take his eyes off the city as they moved into the safety of the protective walls. More buildings than he could count spread out in front of him. They were of various sizes and colors, mismatched against each other and decorated with makeshift curtains in the windows, cracked doors, the odd plant vines crawling along the occasional balcony, and the people… There wasn’t a place he could look that was free of them: selling their wares at carts and shops, women with very little clothing almost hidden in the alleyways, and children ran by with shrill voices and patchwork clothes.

“Are you alright, Taekwoon?” Junsu asked him kindly, giving a gentle tug on his hand to grab the little boy’s attention.

Mutely, he nodded his head with huge, round eyes and continued looking around. The Priest of Bahamut was familiar and safe, a known person from these past couple sevendays. With their hands clasped, a reliable anchor in the chaos, he knew he could look around with out worry. The rest of the city was big and foreign and loud and it captured more of his attention as a result.

“You don’t have to worry, little one. We’re almost there,” the young man smiled, brushing his shoulder length hair back with a flick of his free hand. Dark strands settled against the fabric of his silver robes – Bahamut’s color, but the cloth was more than a little dusty from the road.

Another quiet nod followed that statement and Taekwoon heard Junsu sigh softly to himself. His father used to sigh like that too. Before his parents had given him over to the priest when he wandered into the village. Only then did he risk a glance at the taller man when they started walking again, catching him out of the corner of inquisitive eyes.

He wasn’t an old man like Taekwoon thought all priests were. Nor had he wanted to take him at first. He’d said something about returning to the Aerie – the castle past the city they were just entering – and sending someone back but his father spoke to Junsu in private and the next morning, he was hugging his mother goodbye and heading out. His mother cried when they walked away and he did too, silent tears that stained his face as sadness and confusion pressed on him from all sides.

Junsu hadn’t tried to explain it and Taekwoon hadn’t asked. The feeling of being lost and hurt was too new and overwhelming, so that he drew into himself, but the priest had told him stories to distract him. He talked about what a Priest of Bahamut was and what his purpose was when he wandered from place to place. He told Taekwoon of the Dragon God and his followers, of the Aerie and those in it.

Taekwoon stopped in the middle of the street and stared straight ahead when he noticed something rising up from the castle on the cliff: colorful, flying things that swarmed together and rose higher into the air as one. He made a small noise in the back of his throat and his jaw dropped open slightly as the figures angled their direction.

“There they are,” Junsu smiled brightly as he shielded his eyes from the overhead sun while he squinted ahead. “The Stardust Battalion,” he murmured with pride, squeezing Taekwoon’s hand reassuringly.

Everything else faded into the background: the sounds of merchants and buyers; the press of bodies on the streets; the smell of people living close together with nowhere to go… All that remained was Taekwoon and the formation soaring towards them with glimmering bodies of silver and gold, bronze and copper, red and blue, black and white. And all of them bore the exploding star of the Stardust banner on their chests.

Junsu had told Taekwoon of many things on their way to the city of Miremaw, but the only one that truly stuck was this one.

Dragons.

Junsu had told Taekwoon stories of dragons.

Gawking unashamedly, he flinched when the silver beast at the front roared a loud greeting, the sound throaty and vibrant and humming through him unlike anything he’d ever heard or felt in his short life. His head swiveled to follow their passage above, body turning to match it a heartbeat later, mesmerized. He’d seen dragons from a distance, or at least he told himself that they were dragons in the sky, flying figures so tiny it was all but impossible to tell otherwise, but this was something else entirely.

“Beautiful,” he whispered, mouth still hanging open.

“Yes they are, Taekwoon,” Junsu agreed, kneeling beside the boy so he could see from his perspective. “And you’re going to be living right up there with them,” he nodded with a barely suppressed smile, dark eyes dancing in amusement when Taekwoon reacted in a delayed manner.

One breath, he was staring after the dragons as they got smaller and smaller in his vision. In the next, he jumped in place and turned to look at Junsu so fast he almost elbowed the priest in the face. “ _With_ them!” he gasped in unfeigned awe.

“Aye,” Junsu grinned at last, pressing on the animated arms to keep them from flailing into anyone. “The Aeries always need hands to help and I think you’ll fit in just fine,” he assured him with a glance at the people who continued to shift around the pair in the middle of the street, otherwise ignorant of the majestic sight that had just flown overhead.

Taekwoon’s mouth worked, opening and closing like a gasping fish, but no sound came out. All he could do was fidget in place and look between the Aerie and where he’d last seen the dragons.

“Come on then. Let’s introduce you to the Aerie Master,” Junsu urged, standing upright once more so that he could continue leading them on through the throngs of shifting people in the remaining daylight. No one troubled them as they moved and all gave way before the silver robes of the priest.

More than willing, Taekwoon shuffled along at the priest’s side, hand held tighter than ever and his gaze locked on the towering structure before him. If Junsu said anything, he didn’t hear him on the walk that took them to the other side of the city and through the open country separating Bahamut’s Aerie from everything else. All of his fatigue and soreness seemed to disappear in the presence of the Aerie and the occasional dragon that rose from it, hypnotizing Taekwoon whenever one appeared.

The hike was long and winding. There was a well carved path and a rope railing to hold too as well. He didn’t need it initially, but even his enthusiasm couldn’t quite survive the trek. Taekwoon was just starting to feel exhausted when they neared the plateau. He was surprised when the gates opened long before they reached them and it was all Taekwoon could do to keep moving and not stop and stare when a new courtyard opened before them. Someone called to Junsu from the top of the wall but Taekwoon wasn’t paying attention anyway. His eyes, and every other part of his focus, was on the movement inside: dragons.

There were dragons on the ground.

And they were looking at him: one copper, one bronze, and one black.

By all the stars. They were looking at _him_!

He was saved from having to think too much about it when a boy who couldn’t have been much older than him started to run by and promptly tripped with a startled cry, face planting on the ground before the dragons. All three heads swiveled in unison to focus on the new boy, blinking at him with amber colored eyes.

Taekwoon winced at the fall and then quickly glanced between those present. “Ow…” the newcomer groaned, brown hair obscuring his face as he picked himself up and brushed off his pants.

“Jinki,” one of the riders gave a long suffering sigh as he approached to make sure he was alright.

“Sorry!” Jinki yelped, grinning nervously while he carefully backed away from the dragons, his eyes nearly disappearing in his face at the expression.

“Better hurry along then,” another rider nearby urged with an easy wave. “You’ll be late if you stick around here too long,” they teased with a toothy grin.

“Yes, Captain Yunho!” Jinki flailed, turning around and coming up short with a deepening flush when he noticed the priest and the boy watching the proceedings. “Sorry!” he cried again, ducking his head and bowing his shoulders so he could flee before anything else might happen on his current task.

“Still as clumsy as ever,” Junsu laughed softly under his breath as he waved at Captain Yunho and the other two riders before guiding Taekwoon along.

“But-” he started to say, craning his head back to look over his shoulder at the dragons in the courtyard.

“You can see them later,” the priest promised with gentle firmness as he kept a strong grip on Taekwoon’s hand and pulled him further into the heart of the Aerie.

It was easy enough to tell the riders apart from the more common people since the former dressed mostly in leathers. At least that was what it looked like, and none of the ones near the dragons were wearing normal clothes. There were massive troughs filled with water so the dragons could drink and shops in full swing with a blacksmith repairing weapons and gear while the leatherworker took care of the harnesses and saddles. He also saw a tall, thin man that looked like a Dragon Priest but without the religious symbols who was turning his healing arts to the riders _and_ dragons.

In all honesty, Taekwoon didn’t know where to look. There was so much happening at one time. Like in the city, none of the people or dragons got in Junsu’s path and all gave way before the priest. Unlike in the city, the majority of the people present greeted him with a smile or a wave, both of which extended to Taekwoon in turn.

The entire area was very open in nature, leaving plenty of room for the what had to be dozens of dragons to maneuver around as needed. Junsu continued to lead them deftly across the grounds and towards a large building against the far wall. Or maybe it was several buildings but stone walls covered most of the lower cliff side. There were dragons perched atop the rocks and several lazily flying off to his left. Turning to follow them with his eyes, he also saw a large tower that rose up as tall as any cliff face. A walkway connected the top to the mountainside and it looked like there were two dragons on guard.

He was startled when they stopped briefly and Junsu caught his attention once more. “Here we go,” the priest smiled, pushing the nearest doors open and ushering Taekwoon inside to a large… dining hall. Only a handful of people were present and most of them were children cleaning the tables.

“This is-”

“Where Aerie Master Satoru will be found so he can figure out where to put you first,” Junsu explained deftly, signaling one of the children with a raised hand. “Probably,” he added, looking around with curious eyes. A slightly older girl peeled off immediately and ran into the back, short, red hair bouncing as she went.

Taekwoon fidgeted nervously as he stared at the other children, most of whom were looking back at him just as intently. Was this what he was going to be doing? That wasn’t what he wanted. It smelled good. Whatever they’d cooked earlier, but he wanted to be near the dragons. He wanted to touch one. To stare at it and memorize every part of it. He wanted to-

“Priest Junsu,” a deep, rich voice echoed across the hall and both the priest and Taekwoon lifted their heads to see the approaching man.

Jet black hair pulled into a half horsetail allowed the rest of the sleek locks to fall down his back, revealing a flawless, pale face and features that were almost feminine in nature. He was just shy of being pretty but there was no mistaking the aura of command about him as his lithe but average form approached. Dark, haunted eyes appraised both of them, lingering on Taekwoon in such a way that made him uncomfortable with the intensity of his gaze.

“Master Satoru,” Junsu crossed his fist over his heart and bowed deeper than Taekwoon had seen him do yet.

“You were not searching when last we spoke, and yet, I see that Bahamut has led you to one anyway,” he smiled knowingly, letting his eyes shift from Taekwoon to Junsu easily, giving him a break.

“Aye. The circumstances were… favorable,” he explained with an almost apologetic shrug, dark eyes flickering to Taekwoon and then to Satoru again.

Satoru hummed thoughtfully in the back of his throat and squatted in front of Taekwoon with a frown creasing his brow as his sapphire, outer robe pooled on the ground behind him. He rested his elbows on bent knees and propped his chin on his closed fists while he obviously debated what to do with him. It was a most unsettling experience for Taekwoon. “What’s your name, boy?” he asked simply, the title a mere statement of fact.

For a moment, Taekwoon was so surprised at the question that he found himself unable to answer. He started to shrug his shoulders as if he couldn’t remember and then Junsu spoke for him. “His name is Taekwoon.”

Both heads turned to look at Junsu and the priest smiled in embarrassment, placing his hand over his mouth with an apologetic nod. “I was asking Taekwoon,” Satoru chastised gently before returning his gaze to the boy. “Why are you here?” he questioned with a curious lilt to his voice.

“Satoru-” Junsu started to speak before a single raised finger from the Aerie Master paused him again.

In all honesty, Taekwoon had no idea. That part hadn’t been explained to him and some of the uncertainty must have shown on his face for Satoru’s eyes crinkled and he smiled, unperturbed by the lack of responses thus far.

“Allow me to rephrase that. What do you _want_ to do here, Taekwoon?” His voice was a velvety purr, like a cat patiently waiting on a mouse to make the first move, but without any of the danger.

This time, Junsu would not be silenced as he chuckled kindly, “He’s only six years old and he hardly talks at all so I don’t know that he would even have a thought about-”

“I wanna be a dragonrider!” Taekwoon blurted hastily, nearly spitting on Satoru in his worry that he wouldn’t get to say something or that he’d be stuck somewhere he didn’t want to be – like cleaning in the dining hall.

Satoru’s mouth pulled to the side into a wry smile as he looked up at Junsu who seemed more surprised than anything. “Well there you have it,” the Aerie Master chuckled with the barest of nods as he stood up and glanced around the hall, obviously looking for someone. Sighting on another boy with bright, orange hair, Satoru waved him over and asked, “Wonshik. Where’s Jinki?”

Wonshik started to shrug but a warning glance from the taller man stopped him mid-motion. “I’m not sure sir,” he answered, retreating quickly when Satoru waved him off with a dismissive gesture and a thoughtful frown on his face.

“We shall see,” he intoned gravely when he turned his gaze upon Taekwoon once more. “I’ll take him from here,” Satoru held out his hand with an expectant look at Junsu.

“Very well,” the priest nodded in understanding, shifting Taekwoon’s hand to Satoru’s with ease. “Bahamut watch over you, little one,” he smiled, ruffling the head of ebony hair with a gentle motion.

Taekwoon blinked up at both men, wondering what in the world was going to happen next and hardly daring to hope that it might have something to do with dragons. “Come along, Taekwoon,” Satoru urged, tugging the boy after him as they both moved into the heart of the building together. “Let’s see if we can’t find Jinki and then we’ll see if you won’t be a better partner to him than his last companion,” he commented dryly, though something about the way he said it told Taekwoon there was more that wasn’t being said in that statement.

Of course, he didn’t get to find out until later, after they’d found Jinki where the other boy was diligently copying books in the library under the watchful eyes of Master Scribe Jolin, a colorful woman who was watching the young boy with a bemused expression. “He might have two left feet, but he’s a hard worker and can out-write many of my own apprentices,” she laughed upon releasing Jinki from her service.

He seemed more than happy to get away but flushed when he recognized Taekwoon from earlier. Their introductions were a little bit awkward, made more so by the fact that neither knew what to think about being paired with the other. Fortunately, or not, depending on how one looked at it, Satoru didn’t care about either of their potential discomfort. “He’s new and you need a partner,” he pointed to Taekwoon first and then Jinki. “In the Aerie, no one is alone. You know that,” he shook his finger at Jinki, but didn’t press the point.

“Yes sir,” Jinki agreed meekly, head and shoulders bowed. Taekwoon thought he was probably older but he just felt awkward to be around.

“Run along then. Show Taekwoon the ropes, the rooms, and the routines,” Satoru urged with both hands, giving the pair a shove to start them moving before he moved off on his own, enviably graceful even when he was just walking.

Jinki took a deep breath and pulled his shoulders back before he turned a brave smile on Taekwoon and stuck his hand out. “I’m Jinki,” he greeted officially.

“I know,” Taekwoon blinked without taking the hand. They’d already been introduced after all. His response seemed to confuse Jinki who hesitantly pulled his hand back, glancing at it to make sure there was nothing wrong or anything.

“And you’re Taekwoon, right?” he nodded energetically, already knowing the answer which made him more confident. At the other boy’s nod, he scratched his head and made a slight face. “You don’t talk much do you?” he asked as he waved at Taekwoon so they could get moving, beginning to walk once more.

Taekwoon shrugged.

“Well…” Jinki trailed off, expression shifting like he didn’t know what to say. “I guess it’s better than talking too much,” he finally managed when nothing else came to him.

“What happened to your last partner?” Taekwoon asked, watching the rise and fall of Jinki’s face when he started to speak before he realized what was being asked.

“Oh. That,” he winced, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand. “He got stepped on by Hero.” Taekwoon’s eyes widened at the response, his face paling slightly. Of all the things he might have guessed, that was not one of them. “It was an accident!” Jinki added quickly, waving his hands as if that was going to make it any better. “But he wasn’t paying attention and Hero was just coming out of Trance with Yunho and yeah. It wasn’t good,” he grimaced with a sidelong look at Taekwoon.

“Oh.” There didn’t seem to be much else he could say to that.

“So do you wanna be a dragonrid-er!?” Jinki asked before he tripped over his own feet when trying to look at Taekwoon and walk at the same time. Jinki stumbled forward and Taekwoon lunged after him, grabbing a flailing arm with both hands to swing him around and keep him from face planting again. “Whoa! Thanks,” Jinki beamed with a relieved grin as he placed a hand over his chest and laughed once.

Taekwoon cracked a smile and shrugged with a tiny nod. “Yes,” he stated softly, not entirely sure what to think of Jinki.

“Huh?” the other boy blinked, confused by the answer.

“I wanna be a dragonrider,” Taekwoon confirmed with quiet conviction.

“Really?” Jinki gasped with both hands rising in front of him. At Taekwoon’s nod, he hummed to himself and nodded along. “It’s a lot of work you know.” Taekwoon nodded again. He could have guessed that. “And I can’t promise you’ll make it even if you try your best,” he added, one finger held in front of him.

“I will,” was all Taekwoon said in response, giving a tiny, confident smile.

“Okay,” Jinki shrugged, throwing his hands up like there was nothing else to discuss. “Come on then. There’s a lot more to living in the Aerie than jus’ dragons,” he laughed with a knowing grin as he grabbed Taekwoon’s hand and pulled him along.

Taekwoon figured that too, but so long as dragons were involved, so was he. It was as simple as that. At least that’s what he kept telling himself anyway.


	2. Learning the Ropes

Jinki wasn’t wrong. Between learning what it meant to actually live at the Aerie, and learning how to behave around the dragons, Taekwoon had his hands full. He was first given a tour of the Aerie so he knew where everything was and where to go for what reasons. The left side of the complex was mostly space for the dragons, including caves for them to sleep in, a bathing pool, and a sunning cliff that overlooked the city. Bahamut’s Sanctum and the Aerie Master’s office were in a tower in the middle of that space. The Sanctum was connected to the mountain with the walkway he’d seen, but Taekwoon wouldn’t be spending a great deal of time anywhere near there for now.

Most of his time would be spent in the rest of the complex, either working in the gardens that were right next to the dragons, across the complex tending to the livestock situated near the dorms or in the teaching and training halls directly across from the entrance on the far side. There was a place on the far right side of the complex where the Stardust Battalion could practice combat maneuvers, but again, it was something Taekwoon wouldn’t be a part of for some time. He was intrigued by the ring of shops in the Aerie center though, where the blacksmith and leatherworker and general goods sellers were. Their places of work were much larger and better supplied than the tiny ones he’d seen back home.

And for meals, he was going to be spending his time in the dining hall, a large structure located inside the teaching halls. The kitchens were in the back between the barracks and the teaching halls so both students and riders could stop in for food outside of normal times if they needed something to hold them over. Equally important were the bathing pools and wash rooms. The dorms had smaller washrooms that could be used where the students could retrieve cold well water and wash quickly if they were short on time.

Enviably, near the barracks and mostly hidden in the rock face were natural hot springs. They’d been carved to make three tiers of pools, each one feeding into the other, while the last fed into a drain where water was guided to the gardens through a partially man made filtration system. Anyone could use the pools, but they were more specifically meant for the riders who often faced hard conditions on any given day.

As if all of that wasn’t enough to remember, Taekwoon also learned he had so much more to understand. His initial lessons were very basic, teaching him how to read and write first and foremost. Numbers were also important and he was introduced to general history and geography quickly as well. Outside of classes and homework, he had an almost mountainous amount of chores and tasks to tackle. The newest Aerie members like himself were general errand and chores persons. He cleaned tables in the dining hall, washed dishes in the kitchens, helped do laundry, spent time in the gardens and greenhouse, as well as keeping an eye on the livestock meant for the Aerie and the dragons.

The list truly seemed to get longer every time he turned around, and it didn’t leave much time for him to be around the dragons. Oh, they were always there and he had but to look out a window to see one, but Taekwoon wanted to be closer. Even if some of the riders didn’t want him to hang around. The older ones seemed the prickliest, while the younger ones appeared more welcoming, when they weren’t tired from a patrol or mission themselves.

He never did exactly figure out why his parents gave him up but since he had an elder brother and a slightly younger sister, even he knew he wasn’t exactly needed at home, especially when food was low and they were all hungry. Quite frankly, when he got to see dragons up close everyday instead of just hearing about them in stories, it didn’t matter. Not really. And the tears Jinki saw on his cheeks were _not_ for his family abandoning him.

They weren’t.

But he didn’t have much time to cry over them anyway, just like the rest of his peers, all of whom were abandoned like him or promised to the Aerie long before. Satoru always had a job for them and if he didn’t, then any one of the Masters was just as happy to snag any stragglers in what little off time they might have had. Taekwoon had thought his world was large enough in the small village he’d grown up in, but here, it got so much bigger it was almost overwhelming on any given day of the sevenday.

And that was before he was allowed to work with and around the dragons.

“They won’t let you get too close at first,” Jinki explained in the first few days when he caught Taekwoon staring at the creatures from afar again. Granted, they were a better sight than their current job of shoveling dragon dung from the outcropping the creatures typically used away from where they stayed. They weren’t unlike people that way – it wouldn’t do to mess up the place you lived in.

“The dragons?” Taekwoon frowned in confusion, tearing his attention away to look at Jinki for the briefest of moments before returning to the large beasts resting nearby.

Jinki snorted at the question and shook his head. “The Aerie Masters,” he replied with a nod towards the enclave tower that Taekwoon had still only seen from afar. High ranking officials went into and out of that area but it only made him more curious about what was inside and why no one else was allowed. “They hafta make sure you won’t spook around the dragons,” he shrugged, pausing to rest his weight on the shovel, right foot nearly inching into the remains next to him. “Course the dragons don’t mind.”

Taekwoon’s gaze dropped down as if to warn him but he held his tongue. It was likely he’d trip or slip or something to have dung on him before the end of the day. Trying to keep it from happening was like using a leaky bucket to haul water: a losing battle. He’d learned very early on that the boy was just clumsy. There was no getting around that. But he also knew just about everything about anything to do with what went on inside the Aerie. All of the rules at any rate, and that made him a very good partner to have otherwise.

“Why don’t they mind?” Taekwoon asked distractedly, watching one of the blue creatures stretch magnificently, great wings extending to either side of him in a fabulous display of taught skin and structured bones, before they folded neatly against his side once more. On a sunny day like this one, they liked lazing in the light, soaking up the heat through their supple skin.

“It’s the Symbiosis,” Jinki nodded matter of factly before he picked up his wooden shovel and started working again, ignoring the smudge of dung on his shoe when his foot slipped into the outermost edge.

That was a term Taekwoon had heard a couple times, but he still didn’t know what it meant. Not really. But every time he’d heard it explained in passing, it still hadn’t made sense to him either. “What about Trance?”

“That’s just how they talk face to face,” his companion explained deftly without looking up, attention otherwise focused on his task.

And that was something else that didn’t make sense to Taekwoon. He’d heard the riders talking to their dragons several times already, but the creatures didn’t speak back. Not in any way that he could see. But there was no doubting they were intelligent. The dragons he’d seen had responded as if they did understand and there was certainly a connection between them that was more than just a rider and his mount.

“You should get to work,” Jinki urged as he reached across the distance to brush Taekwoon’s shoulder. His manner was all business but there was a slight gleam in his eyes as he glanced at his companion furtively. “But,” he whispered, holding one hand up while he looked at the Aerie. “I know Jiho is on watch duty tonight.”

His gaze was expectant when he looked at Taekwoon, as if the other should know what that meant. He didn’t, but there was a burgeoning hope beginning in his belly anyway. Taekwoon shrugged and his hands tightened on the shovel handle while he sidled closer.

Jinki huffed with a laugh and added, “He’s a total softie for the newest kids and he just got back from patrol the other day.” Having seen Jiho’s expressions around the Aerie most recently, that was hard for Taekwoon to believe, but Jinki ignored him and went on. “And N is something else!” he gasped, unable to put his awe into appropriate words.

“Can we-”

“Shh!” Jinki urged, clapping his hand over Taekwoon’s mouth as he looked around to make sure they weren’t being overheard. Annoyed by the action, Taekwoon yanked the palm away and glared at Jinki. “We gotta finish first,” he simply urged importantly, pushing them both to get done as fast as possible. “We still hafta report to Satoru before supper but if we’re quick, we might have a little more time after before curfew.”

Taekwoon sighed with a perturbed look at his companion but resumed shoveling dung into the cart quietly. His eyes still wandered to the dragons sunning themselves nearby, and to the occasional patrol or single rider that returned off and on. And his thoughts turned over Jinki’s words with well concealed hope. If he was suggesting what he thought he was, it was going to be a very good night indeed.

Finishing up their current task, Jinki and Taekwoon hurried back inside, making sure to deposit the cart where one of the dragons would be able to pick it up and haul it into Miremaw so the farmers could use the dung to nourish the fields. Unlike most cities, it received the direct benefits of living next to the Aerie, which included the boon of such fertilizer, but also unrivaled defenses against outside attacks and the massive strength of the dragons on the odd occasion. They supported each other and were generally on good terms, or at least that was what Master Kibum explained when they talked about history in class.

The boys were glad they weren’t heading for his lessons before supper, but Minsoo the Master Leatherworker wasn’t exactly the easiest taskmaster either. He was a broad shouldered man with muscled arms, shorn hair, and inked markings over a large part of his usually mostly bare upper body. While intimidating in his Master role, he also had a very welcoming smile and approachable demeanor outside of his teaching persona. Taekwoon liked him well enough. He reminded him of the blacksmith back home, albeit a much younger version.

Together, he and Jinki slipped into Master Minsoo’s building after washing up and settled in next to Wonshik and Amber. Taekwoon had seen the orange haired boy the first day he arrived, but Amber was a bit new. He’d seen her of course, but they hadn’t had much chance to interact. She was a curious, boyish girl who cut her hair short by choice and seemed more comfortable around the guys than any of the other girls in residence, though she got along well with pretty much everyone.

There weren’t all that many new kids on the grounds at any given time so while they always had a partner, classes tended to be fairly small and spread out all over the Aerie. The senior students, as determined by how long they’d been in the Aerie as opposed to actual age, like Amber and Wonshik, helped the junior students pick things up in class until they moved on to more challenging tasks and then it was the junior students changing roles and teaching the newcomers.

As they all settled into place, Minsoo charged in, all business and bustling energy in his muscled form. “Here ya go!” he chuckled with a small bemused smile, dumping an armload of what looked like leather scraps onto the table in front of them. “Let’s see what you can do with this stuff,” he nodded, placing his fists on his waist with an expectant grin, dark eyes jumping to each student individually.

Minsoo was of a fairly average height but like most Masters, he had a presence that could make him seem larger when he wanted. He only wore a leather vest and dark, cloth pants but he seemed comfortable enough in the warmth of the interior that smelled of tanning oils and drying animal hides. Minsoo’s fingertips were permanently stained from the dyes he worked with but the rest of his non-inked complexion ranged anywhere from tanned to cream colored, where the light of the sun rarely touched him.

Under the Master Leatherworker’s watchful gaze, Taekwoon eyed Wonshik and Amber to see what they were doing, following their lead first. When he understood what they were supposed to do, he followed suit, keeping his work tilted just enough for Jinki to follow along if the other boy was having a hard time keeping pace. They’d figured out Jinki was better with his books and those types of classes while Taekwoon was better with the hands on activities so they worked accordingly.

Today was a matter of repairing leather armor and seeing what kind of salvaging they could do with the remaining pieces. It was tedious, trying work but it also gave Taekwoon plenty of time to think. And listen. He didn’t carry much of any conversation – that was one of Jinki’s strengths – but he remembered as much as he could about what was said, and both Wonshik and Amber always had a lot to say. Or joke about.

Today was no exception. But Taekwoon couldn’t really focus anyway. His thoughts were on that evening and the half-formed promise that Jinki had given him. Did he dare hope that he might get to actually meet a dragon face to face tonight?

Yes. He did dare.

Pins and needles ran across his skin and his stomach was knotted with nervousness as Jinki took Taekwoon’s hand and signaled for him to be quiet as they looked around the mass of cleaned dishes they’d just managed to finish up with. Master Junjin, the strangely good natured cook, was otherwise occupied and neither Hyunchul nor Aron seemed particularly focused on keeping an eye on their junior peers. They didn’t have anything else lined up after supper either so now was as good a time any to slip free before someone could give them something to do.

“Come on,” Jinki whispered, head darting furtively in every direction to keep an eye out for any approaching people. Taekwoon nodded and slipped along behind him as they stole out the back of the kitchen area connected to the dining hall.

Inside an Aerie, there wasn’t much for anyone to be afraid of so guards weren’t exactly necessary except on the wall, but like Jinki had warned before, the Masters loved to give extra work when they could. Avoiding them was often the hardest part of any day…

Jinki wasn’t exactly stealthy and there was more than one moment when Taekwoon thought for sure he’d trip or fall or make some sort of noise to give them away, but he didn’t. And to his credit, Jinki also knew the layout of the Aerie like few did. He was rather proud of that fact actually. It helped with getting places faster when he was short on time, or so he’d explained previously. That didn’t keep Taekwoon from watching with wide eyes anyway. He was so intent on their surroundings that he didn’t realize they’d arrived until Jinki stopped and pointed.

“There he is,” he smiled, finger extending towards the top of the wall.

Immediately, Taekwoon looked up to try and spot Jiho. The bright, blonde hair should have been a dead giveaway but his brow furrowed when he couldn’t see the other man at all. Then he realized why and gave a small gasp as the shadowy red shape standing up and pressed against the inside of the wall shifted, revealing the rider hidden behind his dragon when the head moved. The walls were easily the height of four men standing upright and the red dragon, standing on his hind legs, could reach the top comfortably, claws gripping the edges and head perched on the surface so he might better see his rider.

Jiho’s attention shifted from his dragon to the boys, noticing them almost as soon as his line of sight was free. “What are you two up to?” he asked with a bemused grin, the light from the torch revealing his expression and creating dancing shadows when his dragon turned to peer at them as well.

Taekwoon had no words to speak and he felt them stick in his throat while all he could do was stare as Jiho waited for a response. Still waiting, his dragon pushed off the wall to fold down to their level. He was sinewy grace come to life and Taekwoon couldn’t look away as the great beast blinked at them with saucer sized amber eyes while his tail wrapped neatly around his front claws.

Jinki however, was not so bespelled. He looked around quickly to make sure they were still in the clear and whispered back, “You know.”

That amused the dragonrider and Jiho laughed in delight, clapping his hands with a confirming nod. “Aye. I do,” he winked, leaning over the wall to peer down at his dragon. “What do you think, N?” he called with raised brows, fingers drumming on the stone.

The dragon cocked his head to the side, blinking slowly once before arching his head back to chuff at Jiho. Taekwoon had no idea what the sound meant but he was enthralled by what might come after and he swallowed the sudden dryness in his throat. Jinki’s hand was tight in his and it felt like the other boy was the only thing keeping him from going in every direction at once just then.

“Oh, go on you vain, prickly thing,” Jiho shooed with both hands, laughing at the beast below while he glanced around to make sure no one of importance was nearby to say anything. “We already know he isn’t afraid and you’ve been dying to get close as soon as you laid eyes on him. Traitor,” he childishly stuck his tongue out, which made N snort in return.

But the dragon didn’t say anything else before he ruffled his wings and shifted, rising to his feet to calmly walk towards Jinki and Taekwoon, almost dainty in his approach. At the change, Jinki stepped back nervously, still holding hands with Taekwoon but leaving him relatively alone to meet the approaching dragon.

Ruby flesh shifted in the dim illumination, lit only by patches of torchlight, but it was more than enough to reveal the glory of the dragon. Smooth, almost soft scales covered the underbelly and sides where the flesh gave way to rougher skin around the backbone. Rigid, interconnecting plates overlaid the spine, protecting the vital area beneath. The huge wings were folded close against his body but Taekwoon knew each one had a large, hooked claw at the outermost edge. They made for deadly weapons or were almost like another limb to use when they needed.

Taekwoon wouldn’t have been able to move if he wanted to. He stopped breathing altogether as N paused directly in front of him and slowly lowered his head, neck arching like a serpent until his jaw was nearly level with the ground. Taekwoon inhaled sharply when a gust of hot dragon breath washed over him, filling his nose with the spicy scent.

“You’re beautiful,” he murmured with his mouth hanging open as he noticed the large nostrils in the slender snout, flaring wide when the beast took a deep breath of him. Intimidating fangs filled the partially open maw, off-white color starkly noticeable against the red hide. While N might not have been able to swallow Taekwoon completely whole, he would certainly be able to bite him in half if he wanted to… But the amber eyes crinkled as if amused instead, drawing Taekwoon’s gaze to the movement and the curved horns that rose from his head. They wound back and down, providing a protective covering to the base of his skull, growing close to his neck.

“You can touch him,” Jiho called from above, almost like he could read Taekwoon’s thoughts.

As if in response to the granted permission, N settled down more comfortably in front of Taekwoon, folding his legs under him to sit neatly on the ground once more. He took another deep breath of the boy before him and tilted his head to the side, clearly curious.

Taekwoon wiped the sweat from his right palm on his pants and slowly reached his hand up towards N, gaze darting between the dragon’s eyes and the distance between them. He felt the warmth of the dragon’s skin long before he touched it and paused, wondering if it might burn. But then N took matters into his own hand and bumped his nose against Taekwoon’s hand with a satisfied hum in his throat, almost like a purr but not quite.

“There ya go,” Jiho chuckled softly from above, a warm note in his voice. “He likes ya, kid,” the rider encouraged easily, not bothered in the least by the interaction happening below.

“Oh!” Taekwoon gasped softly, his mouth slowly pulling up into a tentative smile that only grew bigger and bigger by the heartbeat. The nose was hard from the bone just beneath the surface but the skin was smooth and soft, completely at odds with what he’d expected. And he smelled musky but in a good way, with a sharp tang that clung to the nose. Each breath vibrated gently through their connection and Taekwoon laughed at the way he felt the exhalation that washed over him and ruffled his dark hair.

A tug on his left hand let him know Jinki was still there, but he couldn’t bring himself to look away at all. “Are you okay?” the other boy asked quietly, his grip tightening somewhat on the connection between them.

“Yeah,” Taekwoon grinned, letting his fingertips roam over the available skin in front of him while he held N’s eyes with his. “I am.” Never mind that the beast in front of him could kill him in a heartbeat if he wanted, this was where Taekwoon wanted to be. His body felt alive and his heart raced and there was a feeling inside that this was what he wanted to do. Even more than the sevenday before when he’d only seen them up close for the first time, Taekwoon knew that he really did want to be a rider.

He could have swore the dragon seemed to agree as well if the satisfied sound in the back of his throat was any indication. N took another deep breath and closed his eyes, pushing into Taekwoon’s hand a bit harder. When he opened them again, he stared at the boy and the boy stared back, enchanted. It was a spell he found he wanted to fall under: with his own dragon. 


	3. Aerie Dragon Classes

Not surprisingly, the magic of the dragons did not fade at all for Taekwoon as the years turned. Even with the chores that came with taking care of the creatures, and the rest of the Aerie, it was almost like a dream for him. Helping the dragonriders clean the dragons, take care of the gear, and just spend time around them made him satisfied. What was more, he was always well taken care of. Sure, he was tired more often than not, and their morning exercise lessons were always hard, but he never went hungry and he had his own room and he had people he would consider friends.

Because they were partners, Jinki and Taekwoon spent the most time around each other, but he was also getting to know Amber and Wonshik, another partner pair that he was pretty sure was becoming something more. And then there were all the teachers – some he was taking lessons from now and some he wasn’t – and some of their trainees. He also saw a fair few people from Miremaw make their way into the Aerie in any given sevenday. And dragons were always coming and going. Usually whites, the general messengers, but also a fair few reds, blues, coppers, and bronzes. It was unusual to see a new black, silver or gold arrive.

Some days they saw returning members of the Stardust Battalion and there were always patrols heading out and about. Taekwoon marveled at what it would be like to fly with them. When they weren’t on patrol, he could often catch glimpses of the remaining members practicing flying patterns or sparring. High Dragon Commander Eric usually left the maneuvers to Captain Yunho who was in residence unless something particularly dangerous or important needed to be attended to.

And there were injuries but for the most part, Taekwoon didn’t see them. Jinki told him it was because they kept most of the worst news away from the newcomers so as to not frighten them. At least not immediately. He didn’t know most of them well enough yet to recognize on sight, but he could feel it when a dragon didn’t come back. The air in the Aerie changed, the same as always but a little different.

But those events were rare and there was still so much that Taekwoon had to learn and do. He was grateful for Jinki who must have been Bahamut’s blessing to him. The slightly older boy answered all his questions, patiently coaxing more out when he would have remained silent out of possible embarrassment. He also helped him with his homework and to make more friends. Talking was not his strong point, but it was something Jinki was very good at. And in return, Taekwoon kept a quiet eye out for the other boy. He was clumsy by nature but most of the time, if he paid attention, Taekwoon could keep things out of Jinki’s path or steer him clear of potential dangers.

Nor was the other boy completely oblivious. He often rewarded Taekwoon with a playful ruffle of his hair that usually sent him fleeing from a particularly perturbed glare. He didn’t really mind, but it was amusing seeing how the other boy would react. Especially since he liked the company and the fact that Jinki always did come back. He was almost like a brother, but better because they were never competing over anything. And the only thing better than Jinki were the dragons.

Even with the dangers he sometimes saw, and how hard it could be, with the training and the constant traveling and whatever they might face out there, being around the wonderful creatures only strengthened his resolve to become a dragonrider. It was still a harsh reminder when it was brought up in class that only a handful of the people he was there with would actually achieve that title.

“Not everyone can become a dragonrider,” Master Minjun reminded them pointedly. His brown eyes swept the room of seven students, making sure to make contact with each one. Though he was relatively short for a full grown adult, his broader shoulders and presence filled whatever space he needed it to. It was easy enough to command his students’ full attention, especially on this topic.

Taekwoon glanced around too, following his sights. There were a mismatch of students present, ranging from himself as one of the youngest to Bom, the redhead he’d first seen when he arrived at the Aerie, who was about seven years older than him. Jinki was two years his senior though he treated him as the same age most of the time. Amber and Wonshik were dragging their heels in taking this course, but they both had about four years on him. And the last two were Himchan, a boy who seemed determined to become a healer, and Hyosung, one of the girls who had apparently been sold into the Aerie. She was nice enough but she didn’t talk a whole lot – at least not in class.

And that was fine because Taekwoon was having a hard enough time making what the teacher said stick. In his tenth year, he had finally joined some of the intermediate classes. It felt like it had taken him forever to graduate from the beginner level courses including reading and writing, numbers and counting, mending and making, and an introduction to geography and the world around them. But outside of those classes, students varied considerably. Because they might show up in the Aerie at any age or level – young and untaught like him or older and learned like Jongin, a minor noble’s son, who was going to attempt his Trials soon – students were shuffled around and grouped according to level. Age didn’t matter with the exception of combat training, and that was due largely because it was unfair, at first, to pit children against more experienced students.

Fortunately, he and Jinki were of a similar age and level in most things. Okay, maybe the general subjects. Fine… Taekwoon was still no good with the more science or math courses, but it was mostly by choice. He wasn’t interested in them, which was generally how Jinki felt about the dragon focused courses. Though at least this one they were in general agreement about. And Minjun had a way of making the class itself feel more alive too. As he reminded them when he pulled Taekwoon’s attention back to the statement he’d mentioned previously.

“And why is that?” he asked, voice raised as he clapped his hands and lifted one finger into the air. The spectacles on his nose seemed like they might fall off if he turned his head too fast, but they suited his face.

Taekwoon wasn’t surprised when Jinki raised his hand. Even if he didn’t know the answer, he was always willing to venture a guess. Not Taekwoon… “Because not every person is a good match for a dragon.”

Minjun smiled and nodded, the pull of his lips indicating it wasn’t a bad answer but it could have been better. “True,” he conceded, clasping his hands in front of him, his overly large sleeves pooling in the crooks of his arms. “But why?” he asked again, eyes darting around the room for another volunteer.

As Taekwoon didn’t know the answer, he tried very hard to remain invisible. So much so that he jumped when Bom spoke up behind him. Her soft voice knocked him from his trance and offered the answer easily. “It’s Symbiosis,” she smiled, tapping longer fingernails on the table in front of her.

“Yes!” Minjun grinned, stepping around his podium to gesture animatedly. “And what is Symbiosis, Wonshik?” he called out, startling his target into complete wakefulness.

“Symbiosis?!” Wonshik blinked, obviously coming out of a doze. Amber rolled her eyes at him and he made a face back at her. Before they could start anything, Minjun cleared his throat and Wonshik grimaced. “Right. Symbiosis,” he nodded, taking a breath as he searched for the words. Eventually, he managed to mumble, “It’s what we call the dragon and rider’s connection. During the binding, our connection gives the dragon human thought and the dragon gives us wings and aid. Symbiosis,” he finished, throwing both hands out as if to shrug.

“Exactly!” Minjun grinned, quite pleased with the responses.

Taekwoon was just thoughtful. He knew dragons were more animal beyond the Aerie, but he’d assumed that they were taught how to behave after the binding. Apparently, it was much more immediate than that. And because of that, it didn’t make as much sense to him as to why not everyone could become a dragonrider. The question slipped out of him quietly before he could stop it and he froze when he realized that Minjun had heard him.

“Oh? Can you please repeat that for the class, Taekwoon?” he asked gently, tamping down on some of his energy so as not to spook him.

With a nervous glance at Jinki, who just nodded in supportive approval, Taekwoon shrugged. “If it’s the human and dragon connection that is Symbiosis, then why are some people not meant to be dragonriders?”

“Some don’t want to be,” Wonshik volunteered, immediately, trying to prove himself from the mishap earlier.

“That’s obvious,” Amber whispered with a snort, nudging his ribs with her elbow again.

“Some can’t complete the Trials,” Himchan spoke up, tugging at his black hair gently.

“Also obvious,” Wonshik whispered, earning a look from Minjun. He quieted immediately and Himchan relaxed, having tensed from the criticism.

“It’s more about control,” Hyosung spoke up at last, looking up from under the fall of her wavy brunette hair. “Or lack of it,” she clarified, pursing her lips when all eyes fell on her briefly.

Minjun spoke up and took the focus off her quickly. “Good, Hyosung. Control,” he repeated, holding his finger up to capture their attention, “is an illusion.” Taekwoon blinked and he knew he wasn’t the only surprised one. “The binding with Bahamut’s Blood only connects the dragon and rider at a spiritual level, if you will,” he gestured, almost dismissive in that admission. “What really makes them partners is the _lack_ of control they exert over the other. The willingness to be partners. To be friends. To work together towards something else.”

“But isn’t it true that a rider can control their dragon?” Jinki asked with a raised hand. “I thought Boa was able to control Eunhyuk when Seyong was taking part in the first Trial?” Many thought he would have been killed had she not stopped Eunhyuk when she did after all.

“Of course a rider can force control,” Minjun agreed, hands gesturing to concede the point. “But controlling with power alone will never grant either the dragon or the rider the full strength that Symbiosis has to offer. That is why Bahamut’s Aerie will never allow anyone to _buy_ their way in. Tiamat’s Aerie may differ and you will hear about it in other cities, but such connections are dangerous, especially because they are usually made without the power of Tiamat’s or Bahamut’s Blood. Most of our rogue dragons come from those forced bindings,” he cautioned seriously.

“So what you’re saying is that there _is_ a magical, forced connection when Symbiosis is achieved,” Bom spoke up, adding, “but that what you should really be working towards is a mutual partnership in the pairing.”

“Yes,” Minjun answered simply, giving her a pleased and slightly crooked grin.

“Interesting,” Taekwoon murmured softly enough that no one but Jinki heard him. They were saved from any further discussion when the bell for classes rang and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

“It wasn’t _that_ bad,” Minjun laughed, shooing them away with fluttering hands. “Don’t forget to work on your essay either. It’s due next moon,” he reminded them as they filed out of the room.

“Shouldn’t be too bad,” Jinki grinned, walking close enough to Taekwoon that their shoulders brushed.

“I’m almost finished,” he admitted shyly, finding himself in an unusual position. Jinki was almost always the one to complete homework first.

“Really?”

“Mm. I already know why I want to be a rider,” he smiled confidently.

Jinki laughed and sighed, shaking his head. “Fair enough. I had to choose the other topic,” he shrugged. “How are dragons helpful in the balance of the world?”

“Big topic,” Taekwoon murmured sympathetically.

“You’re telling me.”

“You can do it,” he encouraged, nudging the nearest arms gently.

“Of course. As long as I don’t have to keep helping you with all of your homework _and_ mine,” Jinki chided with a smile and sidelong glance.

Taekwoon groaned and let his head tilt back pitifully. “But Master Kyuhyun’s math class is so hard and Master Yongjae never explains the science idea well enough during the lesson.”

Jinki squeezed Taekwoon’s shoulder sympathetically. “You have to read the book before and after class to do well with Master Youngjae,” he explained matter of factly. “And math is just _not_ for everyone,” he laughed, stating a verifiable truth among their circles.

He didn’t need to say any words to agree with that sentiment so Taekwoon remained silent instead, nodding. The next class was neither of those subjects, fortunately, but considering it was Dragons only, he was both excited and slightly disappointed. Since Jinki had no interest in becoming a rider, he did not attend any dragon specific classes, so while he headed off to the Intermediate Diplomacy class with Master Chunji, Taekwoon departed for Dragons under none other than Dragon Master Dongwan.

It was very much Taekwoon’s favorite class. Most of the dragon ones were, to be fair. And they were a far cry from the beginning level courses he was equally glad to be away from. Now, they were learning about the different color dragons, _how_ they differed, what their temperaments were like, combat preferences, and general health and first aid. Himchan would be going on to take more specialized healing classes with Master Dragon Healer Hyesung as well as Master Healer Mimi, who focused expressly on more human injuries, but most interested riders only knew necessary basics and some helpful trauma care for wounds.

Last lesson, they’d learned about the tiers of dragons. Silver and gold were the largest and most commonly the dragons of Captains or leader figures. This was due in part because they themselves were proud creatures and often used to giving commands even in their natural environment. Copper and bronze were the next largest, making perfect damage soaks. They were the heavy fighters in any wing and bore the brunt of offense and defense. Sometimes stubborn but always protective and dependable, they were among the most common found in the wild, second only to blues and reds.

The latter were smaller, sometimes noticeably so, but great at hit and run tactics. They often paired well with bronzes and coppers to offer distractions in combat, but were adept at being light fighters too, capable of holding their own but also moving in and out as needed. As evidenced by N, they could also be a bit overly affectionate and energetic. They often needed the most physical contact and reassurance of the tiers as well. The smallest of the tiers were white and black. Ironic since black was always female, like Tiamat, and the lore said she wasn’t exactly small. However, they excelled at aerial acrobatics. Black and white dragons were undoubtedly the fastest and could be counted on for some of the more daring aerial maneuvers in combat. This also meant they were occasionally reckless and difficult to predict, but like bronze and copper, they were also known for being extremely loyal and protective of those they cared about.

This lesson they were supposed to be learning about the differences between wild, rogue, bonded, formerly bonded, and Paramour dragons. Taekwoon wasn’t surprised to see Master Dongwan there – he was always present, as were Himchan and Hyosung, as well as a newer student just a bit younger than Taekwoon. He hadn’t talked to Jimin much yet, but he had an infectious smile, chubby cheeks, and bright blonde hair that made him impossible to miss in a room. On the other hand, Taekwoon was surprised to also see a man he’d only looked at from afar and heard about in Aerie tales.

Paramour Heechul. He was a man that was either beautiful or handsome, depending on the day. Impossible to miss in a crowd for a different reason, he dyed his hair different colors depending on his mood and wore face paints and dresses when he felt like it. He also coupled with anyone he decided to accept their inquiry from. Heechul made Taekwoon nervous.

The Aerie wasn’t shy about the human form or what happened between two people in their private quarters, but Heechul was the kind of person that could make even the most seasoned rider blush. Taekwoon had seen him do it. To High Dragon Commander Eric no less. That kind of power was intimidating and awe inspiring… and he didn’t want it. So of course he was curious as to why the Paramour was here. With a practically glowing gold dragon in tow.

“I see you’ve all noticed Paramours Heechul and Gain,” Master Dongwan opened when they’d had a moment to observe who had joined them. Heechul was obviously preening under the attention and Gain seemed observant, more than anything, and completely ignoring Dongwan’s silver dragon, Minwoo, much to his bruised pride.

At the mention of who and what they were confirmed, Hyosung gasped slightly, catching the attention of Heechul himself. Dongwan waved him ahead as he paused to let the Paramour speak. But he did more than that. Heechul floated in with billowing scarlet robes that pooled around him like a king when he gently grasped Hyosung’s nearest hand and knelt before her, brushing his lips to the back of her knuckles. “Lady Hyosung,” he crooned, the voice smooth and welcoming. “I apologize that we are meeting only now in person,” he explained, batting long lashes at her as he looked up from between straight maroon bangs that framed his pale face like a long curtain.

“Oh,” she exhaled uncertainly, at a loss as to what she should say.

“Heechul,” Dongwan chided the other man with a bemused smirk. “Go introduce her to Gain,” he urged, glancing at his three remaining students.

“But of course,” Heechul smiled, rising to his feet just as gracefully as he knelt, and tucking Hyosung’s hand into the crook of his arm genteelly.

As the pair wandered over to huddle near the gold dragon, her tail flicking gently against the ground like a lure to Minwoo, Dongwan captured their attention once more. “You’ll have a chance to ask the Paramour any questions you might have at the end of class. For now, what makes a dragon a Paramour?” he asked, looking at each student in turn.

When there was no immediate answer, they all blinked in surprise as Paramour Heechul called out unabashedly, “They like coupling.”

“Heechul,” Dongwan groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers with a long suffering sigh. Like his peers, Taekwoon glanced over to see Heechul’s reaction, but both he and the dragon seemed to shrug as if that explained everything. “Yes,” the Dragon Master eventually agreed with a dry laugh. “More to the point, they are almost always formerly bonded dragons who have been affected by the Symbiosis. On very rare occasions, a bonded dragon and rider will become Paramours but they are the exception.”

Himchan’s hand rose curiously and Dongwan nodded for him to ask his question. “Is the pairing only physical or does this extend to the Trance state as well?”

“Good question,” Dongwan congratulated, obviously impressed. Taekwoon’s mind stuttered at the implications and he listened closely to the answer. “It depends on the Paramour and the client,” he explained. “Usually, a dragon will meet with a dragon and a human will meet with a human, but it’s not unheard of or uncommon for a dragon and human to join as it were.”

It was clear by the silence that followed that few had thought of the possibilities with Trance. While it was true that anyone could enter Trance with a bound or formerly bound dragon, it took time and concentration and mutual want to achieve. For a bonded dragon and rider, it was almost effortless. And with the new information, Taekwoon was beginning to understand just how close Yunho and Hero might be.

Himchan was still mulling over his discovery and Taekwoon had nothing to say so it fell to Jimin to move the conversation forward. Sort of. Apparently less affected by the revelation, he summarized, “So a Paramour dragon is a formerly bonded dragon. Usually,” he amended, to Dongwan’s approval. “And a rogue dragon is a formerly bonded dragon gone wild?”

“Also correct,” the Dragon Master nodded. “Wild dragons are the unchanged creatures that exist outside the Aerie. Sometimes, a rogue might attempt to harness and lead them, but in general, they are benign. Dangerous certainly, but not prone to attacking humans without cause.”

Taekwoon was always happy to know more about dragons, but there was one thing they hadn’t really covered yet and he didn’t know if his other classes would. “If formerly bonded dragons keep their intelligence, what happens to formerly bonded riders?” he asked softly, almost afraid of the answer.

Dongwan’s expression only made his worry stronger. It was gone as quickly as it came, but there was no denying the sadness that had been there a moment before. “It’s not an easy thing to lose a part of yourself. The dragon feels it too, when their rider dies, but for us, I’ve heard it described as losing a limb or the ability to see color. In extreme cases, the loss is deemed too great and the human fades away or chooses not to exist without their dragon.”

“Oh,” Taekwoon breathed, the honest and depressing answer sitting heavy in his gut.

“On the brighter side, one rarely outlives the other,” the Dragon Master explained, trying to add a modicum of cheer back into the conversation. He didn’t mention that it was because they both often died in that scenario (dragons had longer lifespans than humans after all).

It was a false cheer that didn’t quite reach them for the remainder of class. At least until the Paramours returned, Hyosung among them, and fielded any questions the students might have had. Heechul was not a fan of funeral atmospheres and Gain had finally had enough of Minwoo’s attention. Between the former’s antics and the latter’s perturbed warning hiss that sent the silver dragon slinking off, the students were laughing and smiling again quickly enough.

Heechul’s final words stayed with them long after the silver dragon left. “Any Paramour can decline any client’s request for _any_ reason.” Though he spoke to them all, it seemed the last part was meant specifically for Hyosung who seemed to be a little more relaxed and confident than when class had started. “Like with the dragons and their riders,” he explained, nodding at Dongwan, “it’s always about trust and understanding.”

Taekwoon was very thoughtful and very quiet in his room later that evening. He was glad the other two classes had been Geography with Master Sandara and History with Master Kibum, but the first two certainly gave him a lot to think about. So much so that it was difficult for him to get to sleep. He was just considering going to see Master Healer Mimi for a sleeping draught when he heard a quiet knock on his door.

Curious but glad enough for the distraction, Taekwoon got out of bed and shuffled over to see who it was. “Jinki,” he murmured in surprise when the slightly older boy appeared through the opening in his doorway.

“Hi,” he waved back warmly, innocent charm and a hint of worry.

“What are you doing here?” Taekwoon asked after a briefly awkward pause.

Jinki’s smile widened and he laughed. “You seemed a bit distracted at supper and I wanted to make sure you were okay,” he explained with a shrug, eyes nearly disappearing in his face when he laughed at himself.

It made Taekwoon feel warm and happy inside that Jinki had thought to check on him. “I’m… okay,” he eventually answered, the words hesitant but honest enough. He was okay. It was just a lot.

“Yeah. Himchan mentioned you guys had the Paramour talk,” he laughed, cheeks tinging pink in his own embarrassment. Even when he wasn’t present, apparently Heechul could make people blush.

“It was… interesting,” Taekwoon spoke, feeling his words with care. “But… awkward.”

That made Jinki laugh again. “I know the feeling. I remember quite well, thank you. We didn’t have that conversation outside with dragons but rather in one of the Healing classes,” he explained, waving his hand as if he could chase away the memory.

While it was amusing, the conversation also fell quiet as Taekwoon didn’t know what to say in response and Jinki obviously had something left unsaid but wasn’t sure how to say it. “Yeah…” Taekwoon hummed, finger tapping on his door for lack of anything else to do.

“Yeah,” Jinki nodded more energetically. It looked as if he was going to go away for a moment but then he stopped himself and blurted, “Himchan also mentioned you asked a really good question today.”

“Oh?” Taekwoon whispered, his stomach twisting into knots again at the thought.

“It’s scary. I know,” he admitted, biting his bottom lip. “And that’s coming from someone who doesn’t even want to be a rider,” Jinki laughed without humor. Taekwoon remained quiet, certain there would be more. He wasn’t wrong. “There are lots of scary things about being a rider. The Trials. Flying. Fighting. Getting hurt. Your dragon getting hurt. Dying…” he trailed off as Taekwoon’s face continued to pale. With a groan, Jinki smacked his face and he sighed. “I’m not saying this right.”

“No,” Taekwoon agreed with a shake of his head.

“Look. What I mean is the Aerie Masters know it’s not easy. They want you to know the truth so you know what you’re getting into. All of it,” he gestured, raising a hand and swinging it in the empty space around him. “And if after everything, if you still want to be one, don’t let anything stop you,” he encouraged. “Not fear. Not the what ifs. Just remember what you’re getting into. Be aware and… do it anyway,” he grinned, clapping his hands together with a nervous but hopeful look. “Okay?”

For a long moment, Taekwoon just blinked at him. “Okay,” he murmured simply.

Jinki waited for whatever was going to follow but realized that was it. “Okay,” he nodded then, stepping back with nervous energy and swaying arms. “So yeah. Have a good night,” he added, waving with one hand.

“You too,” Taekwoon nodded, getting ready to shut the door. He paused though and called out as the other boy was turning away. “Jinki.”

“Yeah?” he chirped, wide eyed and ready to listen.

“Next time you wanna give me a pep talk, don’t,” he admitted with a small smile.

“Right. Okay,” Jinki laughed, giving a partial bow and practically waving in the hallway.

It was obvious he was embarrassed and Taekwoon decided to take at least a little pity on him. “But thanks for trying.”

The sincerity in his voice more than anything helped Jinki become still. His smile relaxed and he stood up straighter. “You’re welcome, Taekwoon. See you tomorrow?”

“Yeah. See you tomorrow,” he echoed, giving a small wave before he closed the door before so neither of them could mess up again.

Taekwoon had nothing less to think or worry about as he made his way back to bed, but strangely, he did feel better. Jinki’s speech had been a chaotic message of good intentions and poor delivery but he meant well. And that meant something to Taekwoon. It meant he had a friend that cared enough to check on him. It meant he had people he could rely on. It meant that even when things got hard, there would be someone who had his back.

And that meant more than he had the words to say.

With that certainty and understanding, Taekwoon was able to fall asleep. And if his dreams were strange that night, no one could blame him after the day he’d had.


	4. Attraction and Theology

Strange dreams were of course the least of his worries. Usually. As his classes became progressively more difficult and physically challenging, they also started to diverge more from Jinki’s in turn. The more he learned about the history of dragons and the lore of Bahamut and Tiamat, the more he questioned what he thought he knew. Worse were the insecurities and uncertainties that came as the realities of being a dragonrider really started to hit home. The following year, the Aerie was rocked when Jongin failed his third Trial, returning home on dragon back barely alive.

It was not uncommon for trainees to fail at first, or even to be injured, but when permanent injury or death occurred, everyone felt it. Taekwoon remembered only that it happened so fast. He’d been in class as normal, training under Master Seunghyun, when the general commotion and the alarmed shouts had drawn them out of the training room. Captain Yunho had come in with an injured Hero and a tattered Jongin. All Taekwoon had seen was red. It unnerved him, making his stomach twist before Masters Hyesung and Mimi had rushed to the scene and ushered Jongin out of sight, but he learned only later that day it was Jinki who took it harder.

Tipped off by Amber, her face tired and short brown hair a mess, Taekwoon departed supper early and searched high and low for the other boy. He eventually found him huddled in a corner near the healing hall but tucked away close to a stone outcropping so as not to be seen. Taekwoon almost missed him, but something told him to look to his right and he noticed the pale flash of his face and hands in the shadows.

“Jinki?” he called softly, moving closer as if he was approaching a wounded animal. It certainly felt that way.

“Yeah,” the other boy responded flatly, blinking past him as he stared at the entrance to the infirmary.

“You okay?” Taekwoon asked, following his line of sight before shuffling close enough to take a seat beside him. It was hard to see but it looked like he might have been crying. Then again, it could have also been dirt on his face.

“Yeah,” he muttered in that same flat tone.

Taekwoon didn’t buy it and his brow quirked in response. “You sure?”

For a moment, he thought he was going to give the same answer. “No,” he finally croaked, ducking his face into his knees to hide.

Biting his lip, Taekwoon lifted his hand to offer comfort but paused, unsure of what to say or do. “They say he’s gonna be okay,” he offered, parroting what he’d heard from the dining hall.

“They say he’ll live,” Jinki quietly corrected, a bitter reproach in his tone.

Taekwoon brought his hand back to his body and messed with his fingers instead. “You know… it’s always a possibility,” he reasoned, not sure why it was hitting the other boy so hard.

“I know that,” Jinki snapped, all bark and no bite. It was still surprising. “It’s just…” he trailed off, voice softer this time. He didn’t finish the sentence though.

“Just what?” Taekwoon nudged gently, scooching a tiny bit closer.

A long pause finally gave way to a whispered, “It’s stupid.”

“What?” the younger boy pressed, very lightly touching Jinki’s shoulder with hesitant fingertips. He was a bit surprised when the other boy flinched at the contact.

Apparently aware that he was acting more than a little strange, Jinki’s shoulders finally lowered as he forced them to relax. He sniffed and scrubbed at his face with the heel of his hand. It didn’t really look like he’d been crying after all but his voice was rough when he spoke again. “I just can’t get it out of my head.” His scoff was audible and painful.

Taekwoon said nothing as he waited for the other to continue, but his eyes were focused and intense, body still.

“I thought the same thing when Bom completed her Trials and bound her dragon. And I was so happy then, but this is different,” he almost growled, one hand lashing out with useless energy. “It’s just as possible and so stupid and I’m stupid because it just makes me afraid,” he rambled, voice thinning and trailing off into hurt silence. His shoulders hunched and turned away slightly.

The motion stung Taekwoon and he frowned. He still didn’t know what was behind this reaction and it bothered him. Counting on the fact that Jinki was not inclined to lie and almost always answered a direct question, he asked, “What are you afraid of?” The words hung in the air between them, fragile and quiet. Confused but determined, Taekwoon shifted closer again and placed his hand on the ground, close enough to Jinki to offer solace if he wanted.

His laugh this time was bitter. And ashamed. “I’m afraid…” Jinki whispered, voice stalling as he struggled to finish.

Trying again, Taekwoon grabbed the end of Jinki’s shirt in his fingertips and curled it into his palm, tugging gently. It was such a small action and yet, it seemed to undo Jinki. Tension fled and he gave in to finally just saying what was on his mind.

“I’m afraid that this could be you one day,” he admitted, body opening so that he slouched against the stone wall. His legs extended in front of him and his arms went limp at his sides, so very close to Taekwoon’s hand. He kept his gaze down though and seemed to laugh bitterly at himself.

“Ah,” Taekwoon exhaled, keeping his hold on the other man’s shirt but now back in the position of not knowing what to say or do. Again. That explained a bit… The side long looks that never lasted. The extra help with homework even though he didn’t need it as much anymore. The extra helpings of his favorite food when they served it during meals. Taekwoon was still young but even he knew that those things meant more than just a friendly gesture.

“Like I said. Stupid,” Jinki sighed, apparently spent.

He shifted as if to move away or stand up but Taekwoon firmed his grip on the shirt and held fast, keeping him from going anywhere. “No.”

Surprised, the other boy finally turned conflicted brown eyes to meet Taekwoon’s gaze. “No?”

“Not stupid,” he promised sincerely. Having spoken, he was now frozen in place since he himself didn’t know what he felt exactly. He hadn’t given much thought to Jinki being anything more than a very good friend, but he also hadn’t been paying his intermittent dreams that much mind either. “Thank you,” he said instead, moving his left hand to gently grip Jinki’s, fingertips folding into the open palm.

A weak smile appeared on the older boy’s face and gentle fingers caged Taekwoon’s. “You’re so hard to read sometimes,” he admitted in pale frustration. Taekwoon laughed through his nose and shrugged, but didn’t say anything. “See? This is what I mean,” Jinki rolled his eyes, shaking a finger at him.

“Come on,” Taekwoon urged instead, slowly getting to his feet as he tugged at Jinki’s hand to get him moving.

Jinki sighed and shook his head. “Yeah, yeah. I guess no answer is better than a no,” he added in quiet acceptance.

“It is,” he agreed with a nod, finally reclaiming his hand but hovering near enough that their arms almost brushed against each other when they started walking back to their separate rooms for the night. “Good night, Jinki,” he murmured, letting his fingertips brush against the other boy’s before they parted for the night.

“Night, Taekwoon,” Jinki smiled, a genuine expression this time.

The contact in their fingertips lasted just a hair longer than it needed to. Then it broke and they went their separate ways, but while Taekwoon was happy that he’d been able to help Jinki, it was a long time before he fell asleep that night.

Uncertainties voiced and new truths in the open didn’t exactly change anything between Taekwoon and Jinki. The next year followed a similar pattern as the previous, but they were comfortable around each other in a way they hadn’t been before. A couple new kids joined the Aerie; the Bahamut High Priest came by like he did every year to disappear into the Inner Sanctum; Wonshik and Amber became an official pairing even as they began to prepare in earnest for their Trials. A couple older trainees passed their Trials and a couple more didn’t, but that was apparently normal.

Those who failed could try again in the future, but what often happened was that they ended up with a formerly bound dragon. The bond was nothing as secure as when officially sanctioned in the Trials, and formed with Bahamut’s Blood, but it worked for those who wished to continue following that path minus the Trials. More people would likely take that path but it was only available to those who had failed the Trials first.

One new happening was that an injured black dragon came into their care minus her rider. It was determined she had been bound previously, but no one could say by whom. Once Hyesung indicated she would survive, she was kept in the Aerie and under surveillance where the recovered but disabled Jongin offered to help take care of her. It gave him purpose and eased the workload of those already charged with her care so it was allowed.

Other than that, the Aerie functioned as usual. Taekwoon continued to throw himself into his classes and training with abandon. If he happened to brush into Jinki more often than before, the other didn’t mind. Nor did he have any qualms about passing touches that were just short of a caress as they went about their daily lives. The light and subtle reassurances were comforting in their hectic and busy lives.

As students and trainees, they were mostly insulated from the larger happenings beyond the Aerie and so chose to focus on what was immediately in front of them. There was certainly a degree of bliss in their ignorance, even if the lessons and training were painful or confusing or just didn’t make sense to Taekwoon.

Frustrated, he stared at the theology book from Master Sunny’s class and frowned. His birthing day strawberry hand pie was forgotten beside him. Nearby, he could feel Jinki glancing over from time to time, watching but leaving him alone for the time being. On the other side of the table, two harried newcomers, Sanghyuk and Joy, practiced their writing, keeping a nervous eye out for Master Jolin. She was a harpy when it came to making sure one’s writing was perfect.

With effort, the now thirteen year old Taekwoon pushed the scratching sound of the quill out of his mind and worried a thumbnail between his teeth instead. Under his breath, he paraphrased the text, “Tiamat and Bahamut ascended the heavens, taking the place of their parents as gods. Tiamat birthed the dragons and set them free over the earth. Bahamut, seeking his own creation, made man.” The hand drawn picture in the book showed Tiamat with the six different dragons – black and silver not included – before her while Bahamut lorded over a man and woman. “For a time, they coexisted peacefully, living together as equals.”

His brow furrowed when he got to the next part again. This was the third time he’d read the text and he understood it but he didn’t. He kept hoping something would click with each attempt, but so far… nothing. “Then the dragons began to change. Filled with Tiamat’s power and pride and intelligence, they started to believe themselves superior to man. No longer did they wish to work together. They tried to conquer man and thus began the Dragon Wars.” He bit his bottom lip and grabbed his bangs with his hand, sighing heavily.

“I didn’t think Theology was that difficult.” Jinki’s voice drifted to his ear, close enough that he could feel the other man’s breath.

Shivers raced up his spine but he didn’t react. Instead, he groaned again. “It’s not difficult. I just… it doesn’t sound like what the dragons would do,” he explained, turning to look at Jinki beside him.

“Oh?” he chirped, leaning further so he could rest his cheek on Taekwoon’s shoulder and read the passage. “You don’t think intelligent dragons would fight humans because they thought they were better than us?”

Put so matter of factly, it did seem hard to argue against but Taekwoon didn’t buy it. Not completely anyway. “No,” he shook his head and reaching over to rest his fingers on the nearest knee as he shifted his attention. “I think the _unintelligent_ dragons might have done that if the circumstances were right, but they didn’t lose their intelligence until _after_ Bahamut sealed Tiamat away.”

“True, but… I mean, if the book is to be believed… and why wouldn’t it be? The dragons attacked first and a good bet is because they were threatened by us,” Jinki shrugged, turning his head so he could look up into Taekwoon’s eyes from a hand’s breadth away.

Taekwoon rolled his eyes and sighed. “Okay. Say I believe you,” he offered, waving his free hand while he left his right on Jinki’s knee. It was comfortable… “But why would Bahamut disappear? Why wouldn't he stay to watch over and lead the humans and remaining dragons? Especially when they would have needed his guidance the most?”

“Taekwoon,” a new voice crooned in semi-patronizing amusement. Both he and Jinki jumped and jerked apart when they realized Master Jolin had been listening in. “We all know that Bahamut’s Teachings left the dragons a path to redemption but only after the humans earned their companionship.”

“Which is why we don’t raise dragons from the egg,” Jinki added, looking to Jolin for confirmation.

She smiled, her thin lips curving up and her slightly narrower eyes crinkling in her face. Her wheat colored hair seemed almost too straight when it framed her face, though she kept the rest pulled back in a pinned twist. “Yes. The Trials are meant to show that both man and dragon are worthy. And the binding only works with Bahamut’s Blood. Or Tiamat’s. Or that bastardization those nobles concocted in the kingdoms,” she scowled and flicked her hand in disgust.

“It’s not really Bahamut’s Blood,” Taekwoon murmured, the statement a half question.

“Of course not,” Jolin chuckled, folding her thin hands into her overly long sleeves. She favored flowing clothes much the way that Minjun did, though they seemed to suit her better. “A Priest of Bahamut comes every year to make and bless the new batch. They really do have a great deal of power so it’s no surprise their connection to Bahamut is what makes them particularly able to sense those who may have an affinity for dragons.” Taekwoon’s nose wrinkled and he rested his chin on his hand, leaning against the table. “What?” she laughed, glancing at Jinki to see if he knew any better.

“I understand the idea of the Trials,” he huffed, scratching at the table with a free fingernail. “But why can’t it change? Why can’t we start working towards raising them from the egg? It would be much… kinder,” he murmured, grimacing at the memory of Jongin’s Trial two years ago. He’d been permanently injured in the third Trial and had failed to bond with a dragon. He was still here but that was largely because his family thought him a disgrace. Though he was making progress with the black dragon, Krystal. He’d at least managed to learn her name himself, after achieving trust enough to go into Trance with her.

“Kinder, yes,” Jolin agreed. “But as the Teachings show, it is not about kindness. Redemption is not usually easy.”

“But… if there’s no change, then their redemption will never change and they will always be stuck seeking it,” Taekwoon frowned, groaning as he sank forward to rest his chin against the table.

“You should consider being a philosopher,” Jolin laughed, patting his back comfortingly before she turned her focus to the newest students. “Sanghyuk. Joy. Let’s see how your letters are coming,” she called, practically gliding to their side with a grace rivaled only by Heechul’s.

“Yes, Master Jolin!” they chimed in unison, one black and one strawberry head of hair bolting upright nervously.

“You really should,” Jinki laughed as he brought a hand to rest against Taekwoon’s back, fingertips brushing against the bare neck.

“Should what?” Taekwoon groaned, turning his head to look sideways at Jinki.

“Think about becoming a philosopher.”

Taekwoon snorted at the thought and reached out to smack Jinki’s leg again, leaving his hand in place like before. “I want to be a dragonrider,” he explained resolutely. “And I’m nervous about the Trials, but I think I’ll be able to do them when the time comes,” he explained, fingers scratching lightly against the other man’s knee thoughtfully. “I just think that there should be a better way. Like raising dragons from the egg,” he stated again. It wouldn’t just be kinder. It would be better for everyone, if you asked him. The dragons included.

“Even if the binding didn’t make dragons infertile, there’s no reason to believe the intelligence of the parents would be passed down to the babies,” Jinki explained, playing with the hairs on the back of Taekwoon’s neck.

“That’s another thing I don’t understand,” he huffed, shaking his free finger at Jinki just above the table. “Why does Bahamut’s Blood make them infertile?”

Jinki shrugged and tried to answer, “Well, the Teachings say-”

“I know what the Teachings say,” Taekwoon interrupted irritably. That the power of the Dragon God was too much for any mortal vessel – including dragons – to inhabit and not be unchanged. It was just that in humans, it _granted_ them the ability to actually control their dragon while in dragons, it took _away_ their ability to reproduce, but also gave them intelligence.

As if reading his thoughts, Jinki offered, “Some historians think it’s the price the dragon has to pay for gaining intelligence again. And others have theorized that it prevents the dragons from reverting to their more basic, animalistic instincts. I know you’ve read about mother dragons in the wilds,” Jinki reminded, briefly distracted as he reached out to nudge the hand pie closer to Taekwoon.

Oh yes. They’d all heard about nesting dragons in the wilds. Irritable, dangerous, and vicious creatures. Mothers were particularly protective of their clutch and had been known to track down and destroy nest thieves over vast distances. That was actually a semi-fair explanation, but not all of it sat well with Taekwoon. Problem was, he couldn’t prove it otherwise. “Fine,” he eventually sighed, sitting upright and taking a conciliatory bite out of his hand pie. “For Master Sunny’s test, I’ll remember this,” he mumbled around a mouthful. “But I don’t agree.”

“You don’t have to,” Jinki winked, wrinkling his nose in amusement before he ruffled Taekwoon’s hair playfully. The trainee’s expression deadpanned and he just looked at the other man, chewing slowly. “Sorry,” Jinki apologized, raising his hands in surrender before he reached out to carefully smooth the offended hair back into place.

Satisfied, Taekwoon opted to stuff the rest of the pie in his mouth, pack up, and head out.

“Hey! Where are you going?” Jinki asked, scrambling to keep pace and follow along.

He nearly choked on the mouthful but Taekwoon explained, “My head hurts from studying and I’ve got Seunghyun’s class first thing in the morning.”

“Ugh. Right…” Jinki agreed sympathetically. “Don’t die,” he encouraged, making them both laugh as they shared in the Combat Master’s deservedly harsh reputation. Jinki had taken basic lessons, as all Aerie residents did, but his self defense skills ended there. Those who wished to become riders or those who were more interested in combat continued to take even more strenuous lessons. Taekwoon was among them.

So far, he’d avoided major injuries under Seunghyun’s challenging lessons, but it was not easy. Unlike the Combat Master, who seemed to be a veritable prodigy and good with any and all weapons, Taekwoon struggled to be truly good at most combat. Ranged weapons were beyond him at the moment. He had the steady hand and concentration and when he shot, his aim was good, but he was too slow and lacking in spontaneity. The Combat Master probably wasn’t wrong in thinking that he’d be dead before he ever fired a shot if he was actually fighting anyone.

His close combat skills were mediocre. The dagger and short knife were not his forte either because he pulled his attacks too often. They found he didn’t have the stomach for the closeness and the possible trickery of opponents at that range. On the other hand, he was passable with a longer blade or weapon, feeling more comfortable with the fairness offered to both participants. Of course, that fell apart if someone else had a different weapon, but it was a start.

Not entirely surprisingly, Taekwoon’s greatest strengths were actually in forms of combat that dragonriders tended to prefer. Despite his desire to not get close to people in combat with short weapons, Taekwoon had a knack for hand to hand unarmed combat. He could wrestle and grapple with most students, even more advanced ones, quite well. Similarly, he was also surprisingly good at what Seunghyun called scaling, though he tired quickly for now.

“That’s enough!” the Combat Master’s deep voice rang out, halting the match between Taekwoon and Wonshik.

Pinned but only just, Taekwoon was still relieved to hear the Master call it. By the looks of it, so was Wonshik. Breathing hard and liberally coated in sweat, both young men stood up shakily and nodded to each other. “Good match,” the older man conceded with an amused grin.

Taekwoon flashed him a tired smile. “I almost had you.”

“I know,” Wonshik chuckled, clapping the younger man on the shoulder once.

“Wonshik, you’re getting sloppy with your holds,” Seunghyun reprimanded when they’d had the briefest of respites.

“Yes, sir,” Wonshik responded by rote, jerking to attention as the taller more intimidating man came to dress them down.

“I expect you to fix that problem before you enter the ring next time. Your Trials begin sooner than you probably think and we can’t have you getting lazy now,” he chided like a disappointed father.

“Yes, sir,” the younger man responded again, bowing deeply as he accepted the criticism.

“Taekwoon!”

“Sir!” he yelped, jerking to attention as the focus was shifted to him.

“You’re doing well, but you’re still not putting enough effort into breaking holds and actually moving out from under your opponent,” Seunghyun sighed, his head shake indicating that this was a problem that obviously needed more attention.

“Understood, sir!” Taekwoon responded, hoping to avoid what he suspected was coming.

“I’m not sure you do,” the Combat Master snorted once, tone normal but the words ominous enough. “Class dismissed! Except for you, Taekwoon. And Bom!” he added, head swiveling to find the redhead. Sheepishly, she turned around from the doorway and headed back into the room. “Your scaling has been abysmal lately. Get back on that wall and practice until I say otherwise,” he commanded dismissively, clearly annoyed with her performance.

“Yes, sir,” she sighed dejectedly, glancing out the doorway to freedom where her dragon Minji was waiting for her.

“Taekwoon,” Seunghyun motioned, capturing the young man’s attention again.

“Sir!” he jumped, running to face off against the Combat Master. His expression didn’t show it, but his heart quailed at the prospect of facing off against the older man. This was not going to be fun…


	5. The Next Step

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So technically, this update would fall under the Underage category (it is also the only chapter that will, hence why I didn't put it on the main page). In their world (and older medieval settings), it is completely acceptable and normal. In ours... I am legally required to give you a heads up of any sexual activity happening between consenting persons under the age of 18. It's nothing particularly graphic but yeah.

“Ouch!” a fifteen year old Taekwoon winced.

“Sorry!” Jinki cringed, fingers easing up on the contact for a moment.

“Why is he so hard on me?” the trainee whined plaintively, voice muffled as he hid his face in the pillow of his bed, black hair splayed on either side.

“He’s hard on everyone,” Jinki laughed softly, carefully resuming his ministrations, strong fingers finding and banishing the hidden knots in Taekwoon’s muscles.

“Not you.”

“I’m not in his advanced classes.”

“Ugh… don’t remind me.”

“I know,” Jinki soothed, pressing down hard on a knot in the younger man’s shoulder.

“Ow…” Taekwoon groaned, fingers fisting the blankets. It hurt but it felt good too so he tried not to complain too much. The frustrating part was that he felt mostly okay complaining around Jinki and he didn't want to abuse that. If he was around anyone else, they’d never know he was hurting. And Seunghyun’s class had been tough today.

The Combat Master had seemed different. It wasn’t obvious, but the energy felt off to Taekwoon. And he suspected it had something to do with Amber’s failing her first Trial. Anytime a student failed a Trial or someone got hurt or died, there was always some kind of reaction in Seunghyun. Again, it was never overtly obvious to most people, but for Taekwoon, it was quite noticeable…

He needed something to help distract him. For a moment, he cast about, searching for a topic to bring up and finally settled on their only shared class this term: Geography. “So are you ready for Sandara’s test this sevenday?” he wondered, hissing and arching his back when fingers dug into the muscles next to the middle of his spine.

“Of course,” Jinki chuckled in confident amusement. “Are you?”

“Maybe,” Taekwoon grunted, trying to force himself to relax. It wasn’t the easiest thing to do when he had a man straddling the backs of his legs and digging fingers into his tense muscles.

“Okay then. What’s Miremaw’s relationship with Talongrace’s?” he asked, steadily kneading another knot.

Taekwoon took a breath and then exhaled through the pain. “That’s a diplomacy question,” he countered after a moment.

“Not entirely. Just answer the question,” Jinki urged, pausing.

Not convinced, Taekwoon did at least offer the desired answer. “They’re sister cities on the island of Kinshire. They have a good trading relationship since Talongrace is on the sea and Miremaw is nowhere near one.”

“Good,” Jinki chirped, thumbs working into the top of Taekwoon’s butt, sending shivers up his spine. “What are the other major cities on Kinshire?”

Taekwoon turned his head to glance at the older man through the almost blinding locks of his hair. This was mostly easy stuff, but it was good to review and who knew? Maybe he’d need the help. “South of Bahamut’s Aerie is Miremaw. To the east, over the mountains, we have Fantor with their huge forests for trade. Heading west, we can see the bog city of Marsh Rest, where we get a lot of our healing herbs and medicinal supplies. And if we go south, we can see the colder city of Samut where we get a lot of our ice and cold fish from.”

“Correct on all counts. But don’t forget the King’s Castle in the capitol city Kokoshir.”

“Right…” Taekwoon snorted derisively. The King. Yeah. That good for nothing who sat on his throne and only asked the Aerie for help when he needed something and was always reluctant to help them in turn.

“Woonie,” Jinki chided softly. When Taekwoon offered no apology, he sighed but went on. “So, what’s the island north of Kinshire?”

This time, Taekwoon shuddered. He always disliked talking about the other island. There was nothing wrong with it exactly. It was just that Tiamat’s Aerie was there, with the Dawnbringer Battalion. They did not battle frequently as most skirmishes were between patrols flying too far into enemy territory. But they all knew that would not last. For centuries, Tiamat’s Aerie had been at war with Bahamut’s Aerie. And though there hadn’t been more conflicts of late, it always felt like they fought often.

“Taekwoon,” the older man warned, stopping his hands while he waited for an answer.

It didn’t take long for the younger man to respond. “The island north of Kinshire is Bondsland,” he explained. “Where Tiamat’s Aerie is. In the middle of the island. Like Bahamut’s Aerie here.” His voice was choppy and short. Almost as if he took offense to the similarity. But he wasn’t wrong.

“Correct,” Jinki commented as if he didn’t hear the tension in his companion. “And what are the major cities on Bondsland?”

Taekwoon wrinkled his nose, but sighed eventually. “Like we see with Kinshire, there are five cities of note, plus the capitol, on Bondsland. They are essentially the reverse of our island but instead of bogs to the west, Garid has deserts, and to the north, Vicily has their ice and cold fish needs.”

“Well, you’ve certainly got the general understanding if not the proper attitude for the class,” Jinki laughed, resting his hands on either side of Taekwoon’s lower ribs.

“Well… I’ll be fighting against Tiamat’s island when I get my dragon,” Taekwoon explained as he took a breath.

“Don’t remind me,” Jinki whispered, pulling his hands away but remaining seated where he was.

“It’s true,” Taekwoon grumbled, collecting his hands to rest under his chin, perturbed.

“Not necessarily,” the other man promised, hands resting gently against his rib cage again. “There haven’t been so many battles lately and the strength of the battalion is certainly smaller than in ages past,” he reminded the trainee.

“Which means I’ll be needed more than ever,” Taekwoon countered, turning his head to look at the older boy out of the corner of his eyes.

“No,” Jinki scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. “It might mean that we’re actually in an age of peace.”

As much as Taekwoon wanted to believe that, for himself and for Jinki, he knew that was not a good answer. His fingers tightened over his hand and the blankets. “We both know that is probably not true.”

“You know, I think there’s something to be said for the fact that we haven’t had as many trainees for the battalion as there should be. Maybe it’s a sign that things are changing?” he offered, ever the optimist.

Taekwoon wasn’t so sure. It was true that they had been losing numbers in the battalion thus far. There weren’t enough trainees to replace the lost members so the compliment wasn’t full. A complete battalion should have at least three hundred members. They were lucky if they had half that on a good day. And numbers were slow to grow. They’d always been slow but it just seemed that there were never enough trainees willing to replace the ones that had been lost anymore.

He suspected that was due in no small part to the actual process of becoming a dragonrider. Many people were fascinated by and maybe even desired a dragon, but the Trials were truly difficult. Not many people succeeded and that made fewer people eager to take that chance. It certainly made him wonder how they’d found enough trainees in the old days… “Changing yes, but how?” Taekwoon eventually conceded.

By his sigh, it was obviously not the direction Jinki wanted him to go in. “You are such a worrier about very certain things!” he laughed, lying low across Taekwoon’s back with his hands on either side and his breath tickling the exposed flesh.

“With good reason!” Taekwoon reminded him, kicking his heels up but otherwise remaining still. He wanted to see what Jinki would do at this point. Their relationship had been evolving since their – Jinki’s – confession two years ago, and things had been changing, little by little. They hadn’t done anything too serious: kissing yes, curious touching yes – mostly from Jinki, and cuddling certainly. But his curiosity continued to grow.

He partially blamed Paramour Heechul’s mortifying – but informative for various reasons – self care, partner care, and safety ‘lesson’ for all fourteen year olds. It was also just because he genuinely liked Jinki; liked the way the other man made him felt; liked how they worked so well together… That was also why conversations like these were particularly troubling for him.

“Hey,” Jinki soothed, placing soft, full lips against Taekwoon’s shoulder, as if shushing him softly.

Called back to the moment, Taekwoon quieted and he forced his hands to relax, letting go of the tensions they were harboring. Fingers splayed on the bed, he moved his left hand to find Jinki’s and gently intertwine their fingers. “You know how important you are to me.” It was a statement rather than a question. He hoped it came across as such.

“I know,” Jinki reassured him, squeezing his fingers and moving his lips higher, pressing them to the back of Taekwoon’s bare neck this time.

Content and happy and satisfied, Taekwoon buried his face further into his pillow, hiding but not. He wasn’t entirely disappointed when Jinki’s lips moved on, brushing against the right side of his shoulder. This time, he was ready. Taekwoon turned his head to the right and felt Jinki’s lips transfer from his shoulder, along his neck and to his cheek, working slowly to the corner of his mouth.

It was teasing and almost playful. Taekwoon wanted more but his position was awkward. Pushing up just enough, he turned so he could cup the back of Jinki’s head with his right hand, facing him more fully so he could give a proper kiss this time. Lips curved against his, a smile he could feel, and Taekwoon chuckled, seeing Jinki’s earth brown eyes shine with happiness.

“What?” Jinki grinned, letting their noses touch.

“You,” Taekwoon answered, lifting his chin for another kiss before he wriggled under the other man, turning to face him.

“You too,” he agreed, settling on Taekwoon’s legs comfortably. One hand slipped around behind Taekwoon’s neck and the other found a resting place against his waist at the top of his pants.

The lower hand started to drift inward but Taekwoon captured it gently. When Jinki opened his mouth to speak, he placed a finger against his lips with a coy smile. Jinki was a giver by nature, and Taekwoon didn’t usually mind accepting, but this time, he wanted to change things up. “I want to make you feel good tonight,” he whispered, voice husky and low.

Jinki’s shy smile was breathtaking. “If you say so,” he allowed, leaning in to kiss the other man hard.

Taekwoon pushed back and then pulled Jinki’s body close, bringing their torsos flush with each other. He smirked at the sudden gasp and pulled his head down for another kiss. Holding Jinki close, Taekwoon rose up enough to start turning them so they could switch places on the bed. When Jinki realized what was happening, he helped, adjusting his legs more comfortably and slowly falling back.

Pleasantly nestled between Jinki’s legs, Taekwoon ground against him and was rewarded with a very satisfying moan. His hungry kiss muffled the next sound as he rubbed against the other man, the warm friction between their clothes pleasurably intense. Fingers tangled in his hair and he reached a hand under Jinki’s shirt to feel the warm skin beneath. As he rhythmically moved against the other man’s body, their lips and tongues danced, sharing gasps and moans.

“Woonie,” Jinki breathed the single word through their kisses. When he grabbed Taekwoon’s right hand, the younger man stilled and pulled away to see what he was doing. Dark eyes followed the linked hands as Jinki moved them down his body, stopping at his waistline. “I want you to touch me,” he whispered, biting his bottom lip in a way that made Taekwoon want him even more.

Abandoning words, he brought their lips together again, eyes closed as he palmed Jinki’s hardness through his pants. With inexperienced eagerness, he massaged and rubbed the firm length, delighting in the addicting sounds coming from Jinki’s throat. As the older man’s breathing grew ragged, he paused, lying against him so he could focus on exploring the responsive mouth. His hands wandered the thin body beneath him, finding the places that made Jinki giggle or gasp. And he shivered when firm fingers pulled at him, asking for more.

Taekwoon was happy to give it. Lifting up just enough, he worked his hand between them and slipped it inside Jinki’s pants, gripping the other man’s hardness skin to skin. The whole body shudder he earned in response only made him want to make it happen again. He knew what he liked so he tried it on Jinki, making the other man gasp. As he increased the motion of his hand, he recognized the ragged breathing.

The plaintive, “Woonie,” was all the warning he needed. He could feel the tightening of Jinki’s stomach, felt hands grip him hard as the expressive face contorted in pleasure and release. Hips thrust up once and then the Jinki's whole body relaxed, hands curled loosely around sweat dampened shoulders. “Oh,” he exhaled with a lazy, satisfied smile, a strand of hair sticking to his forehead. “That was nice,” he praised, looping arms around Taekwoon’s neck to pull him down for a warm and tender kiss.

“I’m glad,” Taekwoon murmured, resting his forehead and nose against Jinki’s as he basked in the other man’s contentment. He enjoyed receiving, but this was nice too. He made Jinki feel like this and that made him feel good. Even if he did have his own problem to take care of now.

For a long moment, they simply cuddled with Taekwoon sliding to the side so they could both have a bit of breathing space. Eventually, he shifted in a way that must have been noticeably uncomfortable and Jinki chuckled. “You know, I could show you a thing or two,” he offered, one hand trailing down Taekwoon’s body to stop above his waistline.

While he had planned on taking care of himself, or willing it to just go away – he had wanted to take care of Jinki after all – that was an enticing offer. “Oh?” he wondered, brow quirking in curiosity.

“Is that a yes?” Jinki grinned, fingertips edging just under the fabric.

Really, if he was offering… who was Taekwoon to say no? “Yes,” he agreed softly, a suddenly shy smile turning the corners of his mouth up.

With a gentle kiss on Taekwoon’s lips, Jinki’s hand confidently started to return the favor. That night, Taekwoon began to gain an understanding of just how much he had to learn about some areas of expertise.

The following year, no one in the Aerie was surprised when Taekwoon moved into Jinki’s living space. Cohabitation was allowed once both parties reached sixteen, and it was just simpler for them. Anyone that was a pair did the same, or not, as was the case with Amber and Wonshik who sort of just drifted apart and separated that same year. Most people in the Aerie could have said they worked better as friends anyway.

Besides, with people coming and going, the younger generations were constantly trying to figure who they liked and who they worked well with. Taekwoon did find it somewhat odd that most of the higher ups seemed strangely unattached though. He knew Satoru was previously married – Jinki had told him that tidbit of information, and that Eric had never settled on any one person. Rumor had it that he was still pining after Hyesung but Taekwoon didn’t really buy that one. Dongwan invested too much of himself in the dragons for him to ever be able to devote himself to another person, so that one made sense. And Seunghyun was understandably difficult to get close to, though if Master Cook Junjin was to be believed, Master Theologist Sunny was making some progress there.

None of that information was particularly important, but because Taekwoon could officially say he was in a relationship, he started to notice and actually pay attention to the other relationships in the Aerie. That included the dragons too. He was almost positive now that Yunho and Hero were what amounted to a pairing, though it was never spoken of openly. Anyone outside the Aerie just wouldn’t understand. He was on the fence about Jongin and Krystal, though that one would be sorted in time, one way or the other. And while Jiho and Victoria might not have been particularly close, their dragons N and Luna seemed to have taken a liking to each other. Jiho was just a little bit jealous and Taekwoon thought it was amusing.

Of course there were others too – the Stardust Battalion had many riders and dragons after all – but while Taekwoon knew them or at least of them, he didn’t consider most in his circle of friends. The older ones could teach him a great deal and he did end up across from them in the combat circles from time to time, but in general, they kept to themselves. It was almost as if the older a dragonrider got, the more they pulled away from new connections. Some of them could be downright crotchety…

But again, that wasn’t really his concern and he couldn’t blame them all that much. Recently, the Stardust Battalion had been called out more often due to an increase in rogue dragons. Those damn nobles were determined to have their own dragons without earning them and it was causing a great deal of grief. They’d lost three riders and two dragons in the past two moons. It was unusual to say the least.

And in his Diplomacy classes, Jinki had been explaining that the tensions between Kinshire and Bondsland had gotten worse. Reports from Tiamat’s Aerie also seemed to indicate that there were more dragons and riders than expected. That was troubling indeed, if true. Even more bizarre, there seemed to be a small wing of new dragonriders that had appeared, beholden to neither Bahamut nor Tiamat but also different from the forced bonded dragons and riders they were already aware of.

Everything only made Taekwoon antsier to actually enter into the final stages of his training so he could attempt the Trials himself. He had two more years to go. Eighteen was the youngest age that one could attempt to become a dragonrider, though all students were encouraged to wait until they were ready, however long that took. The Aerie Masters wanted to be sure the trainee was at least fully grown and had lived most of their childhood before potential injury or death befell them. For his part, Taekwoon knew he was almost ready now.

In preparation for the next two years, he threw himself even harder into his physical courses. With Jinki’s tireless help, he eked by with passing grades in his other classes, but started to excel in his combat lessons. Seunghyun of course understood why he was training so hard and did not hold back. There was more than one evening where Taekwoon had to go to Healer Mimi for physical treatment and then to Jinki for mental and emotional healing.

“You’re pushing yourself too hard,” Jinki chided, arms circling Taekwoon protectively as they cuddled on their shared bed.

“I know,” he admitted, not even bothering to deny it. He could feel it. “I just… have to be ready,” he added, taking a deep breath as he nestled against Jinki’s chest, hugging tighter around the older man’s chest.

“And you will be, but you have to be well enough to get there first,” Jinki laughed, the sound forced and slightly strained.

A soothing hand pet Taekwoon’s hair and he relaxed into the contact. “Just two more moons,” he promised, eyes closed as he listened to Jinki’s heartbeat under his ear.

“Two more moons before you can petition to start the Trials. At this rate, you won’t be worth dirt by the time you get there.” The words could have been harsh, but they were just tired more than anything.

It hurt Taekwoon to know that he was the cause of Jinki’s tiredness, but he wasn’t sure how to fix it and make sure he was prepared. “I’ll try to ease up a little,” he finally offered, turning his head to rest his chin on the other man’s chest, looking up into worried brown eyes.

Jinki’s expression shifted and not to relief. “I’m not saying you have to stop training. I’m just saying that you should ease up and give yourself time to recover before _actually_ throwing yourself at a dragon.” His gesture was comical, as was the intended imagery, and Taekwoon laughed, much needed relief coming with it. “There’s the young man I love,” Jinki smiled warmly, fingers brushing away black bangs to better see the sharp featured face before him.

“What would I do without you?” Taekwoon murmured, catching the hand against his face and bringing the fingertips to his lips.

“Fail all your classes,” his partner teased with a wrinkled nose.

“Probably,” the trainee agreed seriously, making them both laugh.

They fell into a contented silence and Taekwoon was just starting to drift off when Jinki’s voice intruded. “Are you going to fall asleep right here or would you rather at least wash off the day before you dirty our bed with your unwashed body?”

Taekwoon groaned and hid his face against Jinki’s chest, choosing not to take offense, even jokingly, at the words. He did stink. And he was grimy from the combat circle. And he’d probably already made the blanket more than dirty enough to be washed soon. “I’m going,” he grumbled, making absolutely no effort to move at all.

“Right,” Jinki laughed dryly, easing up into a sitting position and bringing a semi-whiny Taekwoon with him. “Off with you,” he encouraged, giving the trainee a little shove.

“You’re so mean, Jinki,” Taekwoon sighed, prying himself from the other man reluctantly. With equal reluctance, he slid from the bed, body mostly limp and bowed.

“See? This is why you need to take it easy. You are quite pathetic right now,” he admitted honestly, no meanness in his words.

Taekwoon wrinkled his nose and managed a half-hearted glare at his partner. He knew he was right but that didn’t make him feel any better. Taking a breath, he forced his shoulders back and stood up straight before he headed for the door. “Be back soon,” he waved without looking back, a modicum of his usual energy returning just by force of will.

“Take your time,” Jinki called before he got through the door. “I’m not going anywhere.”

That made Taekwoon chuckle under his breath, an accompanying tired smile appearing as well. He gestured in understanding before closing the door and heading for the washroom. A good soak was definitely what he needed, but Bahamut help him if he fell asleep in the washroom as he feared he might. He’d never hear the end of it from Jinki.

And he certainly didn’t for the next two moons. That was reason enough for him to finally stop trying quite so hard to apparently kill himself in training. It also did wonders for his social life. Sort of. Sanghyuk and Joy pestered him with questions about his training and how he thought he would do in the Trials. The former had plenty of stories to tell about other dragonriders during their Trials since he was a messenger in the Aerie and he spent a fair bit of time around them. Joy then turned her questions to Sanghyuk with mock outrage that he hadn’t told her such stories before.

An older, more experienced and more confident Hyosung joined them from time to time and she offered some insight into the Trance state. She’d grown into her Paramour role very well and was thriving in the position. As such, she had seen a dragon or two from time to time. “A lady never tells,” she said about giving information regarding her clients, but the mischievous smile she wore hinted at what she didn’t say. “However, Trance is a unique experience and I can’t say too much, as per the rules of the Trials and trainee dragonriders,” she reminded him.

“Yeah, but you can’t tell him anything about what it's like?” Jinki pressed, just as curious as his partner.

Hyosung’s brow furrowed in thought, wrinkling her brow between thick waves of chestnut hair. “It’s surprising,” she finally murmured, tapping one finger against her painted lips. “It’s like nothing you’d expect but then again, it makes sense. Your body is here,” she gestured to the space she was in, “but your mind is very much elsewhere.”

“Where?” Taekwoon asked intently.

Hyosung shrugged. “Maybe your mind. Maybe the dragon’s mind. Maybe another space entirely. I don’t really know and it’s something you’ll have to decide for yourself,” she finished, laughing softly.

Then of course Amber and Wonshik had information to share as well. “You only go into Trance after the first Trial,” Wonshik confirmed with a knowing nod, his hair still as bright orange as ever. He’d settled into the life of a non-rider well enough and seemed to be angling towards more martial pursuits.

“But the first Trial is a doozy,” Amber reminded him. She hadn’t even made it past the first one, though she’d been mostly unharmed. By her admission, she just couldn’t get past the scaling needed to get close enough to settle into Trance position. “And really only the Masters will be there watching you.” At the mention of Masters, her gaze wandered over to the teacher’s table where most of the resident Masters congregated to eat. While she hadn’t been pursuing any martial endeavors, she had been spending a great deal of time around Master Historian Kibum.

Jinki gasped at that admission and he leaned forward intently. “I can’t watch?”

Amber and Wonshik looked at each other and shrugged. “I’d ask Satoru,” the former suggested.

“We didn’t get to watch each other’s Trials, but we didn’t really try,” Wonshik admitted with a sheepish laugh as he rubbed the back of his neck.

“I guess that was a sign, wasn’t it?” Amber teased, shoving his shoulder playfully.

“Probably,” he agreed. “I’m sure they can make an exception though,” he remembered to add as he refocused his attention on Jinki and Taekwoon.

Jinki’s relief was obvious, if somewhat tense, but it also made Taekwoon feel a bit better too. He hadn’t even considered that Jinki might not be there. “Is anyone there for the second and third Trial?” he wondered aloud, drawing their attention to him.

Once more, Amber and Wonshik exchanged thoughtful glances. “I wouldn’t know,” Amber admitted first, looking to her companion for help.

“There wasn’t anyone in the second Trial and I’ve heard that there isn’t anyone for the third Trial either. Other than Captain Yunho anyway. And that’s just for emergencies,” he added in a low tone of voice. No one mentioned him, but all eyes almost unerringly drifted towards Jongin who was seated at a different table, near a couple of messengers and non-trainee students.

“That won’t be you,” Jinki reassuring, placing his hand over Taekwoon’s comfortingly.

“I know,” Taekwoon responded, though it still felt like he’d been kicked in the gut. Most of the time, he was able to forget about that possibility. At least until it came out of nowhere to remind him. Like now.

“Well, you have to get to the third Trial first,” Amber winked, picking up a piece of bread on her plate and taking a bite to keep from having to say anything else.

Taekwoon knew that. He also knew he could do it. Or at least he kept telling himself he could. But it never quite banished the cold pit in his stomach that formed whenever he thought about the alternative.

It was almost more a relief to finally turn eighteen so he could petition to start the Trials. With Seunghyun’s affirmation that he was as ready as he was going to be at his age, Dragon Master Dongwan pulled him aside to explain the process to him.

“As is custom, you’ll have one sevenday to complete your three Trials. It is considered auspicious and a mark of Bahamut’s favor if you succeed within that time frame. Of course, if you fail any of the Trials, you are free to try again from the beginning at a later time,” Dongwan intoned, hands gesturing to mark the important points. It sounded like a speech he’d given many times before though, as his voice lacked its usual energetic enthusiasm.

“I understand,” Taekwoon murmured with a nod, following the Dragon Master's pacing with his eyes.

“Good. Now for the Trials,” he went on. “The first Trial will be administered by a veteran dragonrider and his dragon in the wilds near the Aerie. We will choose the pair from a pool of willing sponsors, so to speak.” That made Taekwoon nervous. While he was good with most dragons, he didn’t have the best relationship with all their riders. “You’ll find out who you’ll be ‘fighting’ on the day of the Trial.” He paused in his pacing to whirl on the younger man, a finger hovering in front of his face. “And don’t go trying to figure out who it is beforehand. We’ll just have to change things up again if you do,” he warned.

“Yes, sir,” Taekwoon snapped, a flash of guilt running through him as he had been thinking about trying.

“The second Trial is all about Trance. That will take place in the Inner Sanctum. I will guide you there and offer any last minute instruction on the day you choose to undergo the second Trial, should you successfully pass the first. One Trial at a time,” he winked, surprising Taekwoon with his moment of levity.

“As for the third Trial. That will be the day you either win your dragon or you don’t,” he stated simply. “Captain Yunho will take you to the wilds to begin tracking and from there, it will be up to you. Any questions?” he asked, pausing for a moment. Of course Taekwoon had questions. Dozens of them probably, but he didn’t know which ones to ask and his head was mildly spinning from what information he was already given. Dongwan apparently expected the lack of reaction and he grinned. “No? Okay then. Speak with Aerie Master Satoru to set up your sevenday Trials,” he encouraged, leaning forward to clap Taekwoon on the shoulder before turning around to leave just as quickly as he’d arrived.

Stunned and a bit overwhelmed, Taekwoon sat for a moment, sifting through his thoughts. A ball of nerves swarmed in his gut, but he was also filled with a strange excitement. This was it! He was finally going to become a dragonrider. Somehow, he would make it work. Now he just had to find a way to keep Jinki calm because Bahamut knew he would be even more nervous for Taekwoon the closer the time got.

“Well. Time to see Satoru,” he told himself, getting up and slowly making his way out. With any luck, Jinki would be in the area too and he could let him know right then and there. For now though, one thing at a time. One Trial at a time.


	6. The First Trial

Amber eyes in a red face peered back at him, swaying from side to side as the dragon hissed in warning, tail twitching agitatedly. Taekwoon followed the motion of the head with his hands slightly raised in front of him, palms open and ready. “Easy,” he soothed in a calm tone of voice, taking one careful step closer as dirt crunched underfoot.

Tracking the dragon to a clearing that would allow him the chance to move had been tricky and now that he was here, it was a waiting game. Trees and large rocks rose up on either side, offering him places to hide if he needed, or at least to slow the dragon down should Taekwoon have to flee. But he didn’t intend for that today.

Large jaws clacked together and the wings mantled, rising up so that he could clearly see the hooked talons on the outermost edge. The great creature filled the space, appearing even larger for the outstretched appendages, making Taekwoon’s gut twist with nervous tension. The dragon side stepped, body partially turning to complete the maneuver without being too ungainly, revealing the breadth of his otherwise sleek form for but a moment.

Now! Senses tingling with energy, Taekwoon darted forward, launching off of slightly bent legs to sprint over the clearing and towards the dragon. His hands pulled peculiar, hooked weapons free from his sides and held them tight, fist clenched near the head of the metal prong. The forged steel rested cold against his bare forearms while the broader head felt heavy in his hands, sharp but shallow spines ready to grip the dragon’s hide to allow purchase to hang on but little else.

The left wing clawed at him first, surprisingly fast in its attack. It flapped out to strike him with a gust of wind followed by the intimidating claw arching towards him. Taekwoon pushed through the invisible wall, feeling tendrils pull at his hair and clothes, before he used both arms to partially deflect the attack. He twisted enough under the blow so that he could use the prongs on his arms to touch against the bony structure. Friction gripped at him, slowing his momentum and nudging him to the side from the power he barely avoided.

But then the wing was past, allowing Taekwoon to stand up once more, straightening only long enough to bend forward and bodily leap over the incoming tail swipe. His feet cleared the ground while his body spun parallel to the ground, arms tucked close and a breath caught in his throat. Spines at the end of the tail reached for Taekwoon like stiff talons, the tips scratching against his hard leather jerkin with a clawing sound as the whipcord limb hissed beneath him. His armor held though and he landed with one foot first, sinking low to land and steady himself with a racing heart and short breaths.

Too close.

The beast growled at Taekwoon’s proximity, fangs bared and neck arched back. With him almost beneath it, the dragon reared up and prepared to come down hard. Another gust of wind from the dual wing flap sent debris into his eyes. One claw reached for him, intent upon smashing the would-be rider into the ground, while the other pulled back, ready to swipe at him should it miss.

With a strangled cry, Taekwoon flung himself to the inside of the dragon’s body, almost between his hind legs. The ground trembled when the beast came down, unsettling the man below, and the secondary attack he feared never came. His target paused, reassessing the situation so that he didn’t hit himself and shifted his body weight, trying to recover fast enough to move out of range.

In the safe zone, Taekwoon took his chance and pelted towards the front left leg, throwing his body towards the limb so he could sink his climbing spurs into the tough flesh. Immediately, the dragon lifted him up when it stepped back, carrying the unwelcome passenger along.

As fast as he could, Taekwoon hammered the spines into the dragon’s hide and crawled along the body, using his rough shoes to help drive him up. The dragon’s body shifted and he inhaled when the deadly head came around to snap at him hanging from the side. Growling through his teeth, Taekwoon yanked himself up and kicked off at the same time. Teeth clacked together where he had been, the sound reverberating in his bones, and he felt the irritated snort of air wash over his back as he moved. His hooks anchored into flesh again, near the shoulder blades where the wings protruded, and Taekwoon scrambled to haul himself into the relative safe zone between the massive membranes.

His feet slipped on the hardened, interlocked surface and the spines of his weapons could find no purchase there when he made it at last. It left him ungainly and awkward as the dragon reared up, trying to toss his passenger off. Lashing out, Taekwoon, hooked both claws on either wing bone and held himself in place by strength alone as the beast straightened up and flared its wings wide, stretching his grip to the limits.

“No you don’t,” Taekwoon hissed softly, legs trembling at having to hold himself still while he waited for his next chance. Swiftly, the dragon shifted again and fell forward, jarring Taekwoon as he launched himself towards the neck of the beast, just barely managing not to fall flat against the backbone with his uncertain footing. He had but mere heartbeats to grab onto the sides of the dragon’s neck with his weapon spines before wing beats lifted them off the ground, exhausting his grip with each downward flap.

Doggedly, Taekwoon climbed upward, clinging to the still shifting neck and utterly ignoring the ground below him. If he fell now, it would be over, and he could not allow that. The world turned upside down as the dragon flipped in the air, making Taekwoon’s stomach do a backflip and he had to pause for a bit, unused to the sensation. But then it was mercifully over and he continued climbing, grip feeling leaden and fingers going numb from holding on. The beast moved gracefully in the air and Taekwoon held tight, eyes locked onto his next stopping point.

He reached the curved horns at the base of the skull and let go of his right weapon, watching the pronged thing fall away as he reached for the cord at his waist instead. Oblivious to their orientation above the ground, the dragon landed hard and Taekwoon was pulled towards the surface, caught by surprise. His left hand slipped on the haft of his weapon, nearly sliding off before he grabbed on with his right and held on, swinging near the dragon’s head like a strange earring. Taekwoon yelled at the strain on his body, feet kicking for purchase, while fear and determination thrummed through him like a living thing.

“Shite!” he spat bitterly, stomach lurching when the weapon shifted, finally ripping through the dragon’s hide in the softer part as his weight became too much. The dragon keened and whipped its head around, reaching a claw up to scratch at Taekwoon frantically.

“Taekwoon!” a voice nearby shouted, the sound quickly silenced, but utterly unmistakable in its familiarity. Taekwoon pushed it away with single minded intensity. He couldn’t let it distract him now.

Abandoning the other weapon with a risky jump, Taekwoon pressed on the neck with his feet and let the dragon’s downward movement carry him towards the horns so he could wind the cord around them, attempting to anchor himself in place. He hit the hard ridges with the barest of control, gut aching as the unforgiving bone pressed against his body when the dragon tried to dislodge him by whipping its head around. His feet slipped and Taekwoon wrapped his arms around the horns, feeling the cord bite into his waist all the while, enough that he would probably have marks afterwards, but it held fast.

“Easy,” Taekwoon grunted around his clenched teeth, carefully shifting his body to nestle between the horns, making sure he secured a cord around the other side too in order to give him better support and security. “Easy, N,” he soothed, shifting around to lay his hand on top of the dragon’s forehead, petting soothingly as he panted hard.

A low growl emerged from the dragon’s maw and the head continued to swing from side to side, though the aggression from before was gone. He huffed once, entire body rumbling from the action, and then shook his head as if to ward off a fly, making Taekwoon flail once more.

“N!” he cried, clinging to the cords with both hands as the dragon clacked his teeth and paced around the field, filled with agitated energy.

“That’s enough, N!” another familiar voice boomed, drawing an immediate reaction from the dragon who shivered and stilled where he stood, flesh twitching in the warm, afternoon air.

“Oh thank Bahamut,” Taekwoon sighed as he swallowed hard and allowed himself to relax just a touch when Jiho stepped out to rein his dragon in. Taekwoon’s hands ached fiercely and he still thought his heart might explode at any moment, but the worst of the danger was over.

He felt the dragon shift again and this time, the head lowered at a more reasonable pace. “That’s it. Come here, old man,” Jiho chuckled warmly, patting N’s jaw when the dragon finally drew close enough for the attention. “How you doing?” the older rider asked with a curious glance at the other man, now that he could see him still clinging to the space between the horns.

Taekwoon took another quick breath and gave Jiho a thumbs up sign to indicate his condition. He rolled over and then sat up to unwind the cords around the horns, trying vainly to control his breathing. “I’m good,” he eventually announced in a quiet, controlled tone, carefully swinging his legs around so that he could slide off the dragon’s head, just missing the torn flesh from a moment ago. “Is N alright?” he asked, lingering with a long look at the new wound.

Jiho continued rubbing the long snout with soothing strokes and scratches, reaching up to drag his fingernails along the eye ridges and back down again. He glanced over at where Taekwoon was and nodded with a half-smile. “He’ll be alright. Just a scratch, wasn’t it, boy?” he murmured, showering N with as much attention as he could.

The red dragon crooned happily in the back of his throat and settled in place with a content sigh, jaws clacking together twice before he rested his head on the ground. “Good job, Jiho,” Hyesung praised as the Dragon Healer made his way over to begin inspecting the dragon. In the years that Taekwoon had been in Aerie, he hadn’t changed all that much. He was still tall and lean, with pointed features and a surprisingly delicate nose. And he still wasn’t the most talkative of individuals, but he knew his trade and the dragons listened to him, despite not having been a rider himself. Swiftly, he pulled his light brown hair back into a tiny horsetail and settled next to the ruby body. “Easy, N,” he soothed, running competent hands over smooth flesh with practiced ease.

“We’re good here,” Jiho addressed Taekwoon at last, nodding his head towards the small crowd of collected individuals nearby. “And I think someone might pass out if you don’t go check in with him soon,” he winked teasingly with a broad grin as both turned to regard a very pale and still obviously nervous Jinki waiting at the side. It was his voice that Taekwoon had heard when he was on the dragon earlier.

“Thanks,” Taekwoon nodded back at the rider, glancing down at Hyesung who only had time for N just then. That made sense. It was known he typically preferred the company of the dragons to men anyway. Taekwoon took a slow breath before he squared his shoulders and headed for the gathered group nearby.

Present were most of the, what Taekwoon would deem, important figures at the Aerie, and he felt his stomach knot at the idea of being in front of them at the same time. Dragon Commander Eric looked like an ordinary enough man in his everyday attire, including leather riding pants and a loose, white shirt, but as the commander of all the dragon forces at Bahamut’s Aerie, he was given due respect at all times. Beside him, Aerie Master Satoru watched with keen eyes, hands folded neatly in front of him, a strangely, almost feminine counterpoint to Eric’s obvious masculinity.

Just off to the side was Combat Master Seunghyun. Despite the scarring he’d received over the years, he seemed ageless. And imposing. The tallest of the four gathered, he looked at Taekwoon with thoughtful coffee colored eyes and crossed arms. Sunlight danced like fire on the tips of his wax stiffened hair, giving him an extra dangerous look. But the smirk he wore today was one of subtle approval as opposed to not and that was good enough for Taekwoon.

And then there was Dragon Master Dongwan. From the day Taekwoon had seen him, the man had made him nervous. For good reason too. Even now, over ten years after he’d joined the Aerie, Dongwan was still almost fanatically devoted to his physical condition. It made sense though, seeing that he was responsible for all things dragons, as Taekwoon had reason to know from the many classes he’d taken under him. Like Minjun, the Master of Dragons and Riders, he wasn’t a particularly imposing figure but there wasn’t an ounce of extra fat on him and his mind was equally well trained. And similar to all the Masters of the Aerie, he was a hard taskmaster when he needed to be.

Taekwoon swallowed his nerves and the encroaching exhaustion now that his battle high was starting to wear off, and focused on Jinki hovering anxiously near Satoru. The only reason the young man was allowed to watch Taekwoon’s first Trial was because he was one of Satoru’s possible apprentices. That and he’d begged, bribed, and worked to make sure he was the apprentice available for this shift. Getting closer, there was no denying the relief Jinki felt that Taekwoon had survived.

His pale hands were clenched together in front of him, knuckles white where he gripped hard; normally relaxed shoulders were much too tense. Wide brown eyes peered at him from under light brown bangs that threatened to get in the way but his intense gaze remained on Taekwoon, unable to spare the distraction of brushing them aside. Jinki offered a tremulous smile when he nodded his head ever so slightly, lips pursing so he wouldn’t say anything out of turn. Again.

“Well done, Taekwoon,” Dongwan grinned, rubbing his hands together excitedly while he approached the slightly taller, younger man. Crows feet marked little lines around his dark brown eyes and near his temples where short black hair lined his visage.

“Thank you sir,” Taekwoon stopped to place his fist over his heart, bowing his head in obvious respect. A strand of dark brown hair slipped free to tickle his face but he didn’t dare move to brush it away yet. Not when there was still so much riding on their favor.

“Looks like you _were_ paying attention in the ring,” the Combat Master chuckled as he wandered around to inspect the scratched armor on Taekwoon’s back. Taekwoon nodded his head in confirmation and waited. “Interesting tactic not to use the woods to try and surprise him.” The question was inherent in the statement.

Taekwoon glanced to the side so he could watch Seunghyun and he nodded again. “It didn’t feel honorable, sir.”

“Honorable or not, isn’t it smarter to use every advantage when something as large and dangerous as a dragon is your opponent?” Dragon Commander Eric spoke then, surprising Taekwoon as his gut tensed at the unexpected comment. Seunghyun stepped back when the other man approached and Taekwoon dared to look up enough to meet his steady gaze.

“It is, but the battle isn’t just about surviving,” he explained in a soft tone, voice steady despite the lack of volume.

“Oh?” Eric inquired, one brow rising as he glanced back at Satoru who was trying not to laugh at the comment.

Taekwoon gestured back at N and Jiho who were contentedly watching from afar, the rider still petting his resting dragon with a constantly moving hand. “It’s a matter of respect, sir. How can I expect my dragon to respect me if I gain him through trickery?”

Seunghyun didn’t say anything but he was wearing his satisfied smirk again. Instead, Dongwan laughed outright, pointing his finger at Eric and clearly satisfied with the response. “I didn’t tell him to say that,” he added when the Dragon Commander seemed to think that might have been the case. Taekwoon’s eyes darted between the four men and then noticed Jinki’s inability to keep the proud smile off his face. It finally coaxed the beginnings of one from him in turn and his eyes crinkled while he held Jinki’s gaze for a brief moment.

Satoru placed a slender hand on Jinki’s shoulder and nodded between the two, giving them the briefest of warnings before he spoke so attention wouldn’t fall upon them unprepared. “So should I be preparing the hall for a rider’s feast then?”

“Junjin prepares the feast,” Eric pointed out with a dry smile.

“And I do the coordinating. There’s more to a gathering than _just_ food,” Satoru reminded them all with a finger raised in the air.

“Maybe,” Dongwan conceded with his arms crossed over his chest as he regarded Taekwoon with critical eyes.

“Leave him be, Dongwan,” Seunghyun rumbled, deep voice piercing the air easily. “The boy has earned a rest this day,” he chuckled, one hand fluidly gesturing towards the Dragon Master. Movement in his periphery made him still and the others remained silent as he looked to the approaching Hyesung whose expression was reliably hard to read.

Deftly, Hyesung waved off the look of concern and conjured a small smile, positioning himself next to Taekwoon so he could remain a set distance from Eric. They didn’t dislike each other, but they were affectionately known as oil and water around the Aerie, and Eric loved to help perpetuate that nickname. “N is in fine condition with only a flesh wound that should heal over nicely in a day or two,” Hyesung confirmed simply as he gestured back towards the dragon. “Rider Jiho was instructed very adeptly by Dragon Master Dongwan as to how the trial should go and it is my belief that Taekwoon has adeptly completed what would otherwise be an actual bonding scenario.”

“Why are you always so formal, Hyesunggie?” Eric huffed as his shoulders slumped while he pouted at the healer who merely rolled his eyes. “We’re all friends here.”

Taekwoon cringed preemptively but was relieved when Hyesung didn’t respond. Dongwan saved him instead, “That’s all the confirmation I need. Besides. This wasn’t Jiho’s first trainee and N knows Taekwoon better than any dragon in the Aerie. I’d say his trial was harder for it.”

“Aye,” Eric nodded in agreement, fixing his gaze on Taekwoon once more, all levity gone for the time being. “We seem to be in agreement then. You have our blessing to attempt the next trial.” The taller man bowed his head slightly in recognition of the honor Taekwoon had achieved and the aspiring rider flushed with pride when Seunghyun, Satoru, Hyesung, and Dongwan all gave him the same gesture. Jinki beamed without restraint and had to quickly smother his expression before he looked like a fool next to their stoic expressions.

“Alright youngling,” Dongwan grinned wryly as he slapped Taekwoon on the back. “I’ll need Hyesung’s help for this next part,” he nodded towards the healer, “and you’ll need your rest. Get fixed up and I’ll see you on the morrow in Bahamut’s Sanctum,” he winked, giving Taekwoon’s shoulder a little shake before he stepped past to head towards the nearby rider and dragon. “Good job, Jiho. You too, N,” he congratulated, voice getting more distant as he walked.

Satoru looked over at Jinki then and gave a kindly, knowing smile. “Go on. I’ll have Yongguk take over for the rest of the afternoon,” he explained simply, glancing at the still waiting Taekwoon. “You won’t be any good to me right now anyway,” he scoffed with a bemused shake of his head.

“Thank you sir,” Jinki bowed hastily and rushed over to Taekwoon’s side, pausing just short of actually touching him.

Hyesung gave them both a small smile and started to head back, pointedly ignoring Eric when the other man opted to pester him at the same time. Satoru fell into step at their heels while Seunghyun gave another nod before turning to follow. With their departure, that left the pair standing in the open, unsure quite how to act now.

“I heard you,” Taekwoon teased gently, a wry smile pulling at one side of his mouth.

Jinki flushed and clapped his hand over his mouth in embarrassment. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t keep it in because everything was happening so fast and I was worried and you know it’s easy for something to happen at these things,” he blurted quickly, only adding to Taekwoon’s amusement.

He was right to worry though. Several aspiring riders never got past the trials to actually bond with a dragon, facing maiming, disfigurement or death with each of the three trials they had to go through. The first one was the most dangerous physically and it showed. Taekwoon was definitely hurting from it and he’d _succeeded_. “Thank you,” he murmured sincerely, reaching to grab Jinki’s free hand in his and hold lightly, grateful for the concern and attention.

“Of course,” the shorter man breathed, squeezing back as he reached out to brush the escaped hairs out of Taekwoon’s face in a tender gesture. His half horsetail kept most of it back but when he moved quickly, it inevitably fell apart in some places. Taekwoon endured the attention with amusement and took a deep breath, wincing when one of his hidden wounds reminded him it was there. “Oh no!” Jinki winced, noticing the reaction. “Come on. Let’s get you inside so we can look at the damage,” he exhaled with a shake of his head, pulling Taekwoon along by their held hands.

“It’s nothing, Jinki,” he denied with little resistance.

“Right,” Jinki scoffed as he glanced over his shoulder, rolling his eyes at the other man’s defense. “Last time it was _nothing_ , you nearly got sick from an infected wound. Remember?”

How could he forget? Jinki had hounded him for days after. As it was, he didn’t think it was nothing either, but the other man was going to worry. It was in his nature after all. Quite frankly, Taekwoon didn’t know how he was going to react when he did see the wounds he felt under his clothes. But it would be good to get out of the leather armor, if nothing else. Taekwoon took one last look at N and his rider over his shoulder before he quietly headed inside with Jinki leading the way.

One trial down and two to go. He could get through them. He knew he could.

And the third was just a matter of actually doing it all over again, but with his own dragon instead. The thought both frightened and excited him in equal measure. It was going to be a long sevenday…


	7. The Second Trial

Lying in bed with Jinki sleeping beside him, one arm over his chest and gripping with unusual tightness, Taekwoon stared at the dimly lit ceiling above them and went over the events of the day in his head. That morning, he’d awoken as nothing more than his typical eighteen year old self, ready for another day in the Aerie and the trials that awaited him. This evening, he was officially on his path to become a dragonrider. He had completed the first Trial successfully and on the day after the morrow – as Healer Mimi instructed, he would be undertaking both the second and third in quick succession.

The realization that he might actually become what he originally intended as a boy of six filled him with excitement and uncertainty both. Taekwoon pulled his eyes from above to focus on the man at his side, only able to see part of his face for the wavy brown hair obscuring it in his sleep. Carefully, he brushed the strands away with a gentle hand, smiling softly when Jinki mumbled something unintelligible and snuggled closer.

He was the source of Taekwoon’s uncertainty on his current path.

For twelve years, they’d been side by side, partners in the Aerie ever since they were children. While their placement had been arbitrary initially, it hadn’t taken them long to become friends, creating a wonderful balance between them. Everything that Taekwoon didn’t care to handle, Jinki could and was often better at: talking, studying, learning the ins and out of the human side of the Aerie. On the other hand, Jinki struggled with more of the hands on activities and anything to do with the dragons.

He was a little clumsy, even now, and while Taekwoon found it endearing and amusing at times, it was not conducive to many of their more physical tasks. Even more baffling to him was that Jinki was often nervous around the dragons. He liked them, for sure, but he could never quite get over the fact that they could accidentally hurt or kill a man – or woman – just by not paying attention or being aware, as had happened with his first partner. Never mind the other injuries the riders and those that were around them incurred from daily activities and tasks.

A fond smile pulled at Taekwoon’s mouth as he recalled watching Jinki patch him up just this evening. The rope around his waist had pressed hard through his armor, bruising the skin beneath and breaking it in some places. His shirt was hanging nearby, a faded, pink line on the beige fabric around the torso showing where the pressure had won out against his frail, human body. Even hard earned, whipcord muscle and years of training weren’t enough to stand up to a dragon’s natural ferocity and power.

‘ _You knew this was a possibility_ ,’ Taekwoon had reminded him in a whispered voice.

‘ _That doesn’t mean I have to like it_ ,’ Jinki had responded without looking up from his task in taking care of Taekwoon.

Despite the fact that they cared for each other very much, neither knew what was going to happen when Taekwoon succeeded. Of course he was nervous about the next Trial. All potential riders were and the ones that weren’t often died before they could finish. But they were both aware it would change things between them and while Taekwoon knew they could figure it all out, he was also aware that Jinki was afraid of losing him.

They’d both spent more than enough time around dragonriders to know that their dragons came first in many things, often including relationships. Jiho, and some of the other riders too, had spent many marks talking to Taekwoon about just that topic, especially when he saw that he and Jinki were starting to get close. While they hadn’t been obvious about it, dragons were the worst sorts of gossips and they had some of the best eyes in the Aerie…

‘ _Only another rider can understand the bond between you and your dragon. Non-riders just don’t get it and we can’t explain the connection good enough to ever make it make sense,_ ’ an older, wiser Jiho had shrugged while sitting on N’s arm, lounging against the red dragon’s hide as they both soaked in the warm sunlight.

Apparently, Satoru had been speaking with Jinki as well but the Aerie Master was guarded with his wisdom and there were only rumors abounding to say that he had once been a rider himself. Though the fact that he always wore long sleeves and layers in even the warmest weather certainly helped to fan those flames. Still, all of the wisdom and assurances and forewarning of those before them could do nothing to allay their own concerns about what would happen to them after Taekwoon completed the Trials and earned his own dragon.

‘ _When I become a dragonrider, it doesn’t mean I will care less for you, Jinki._ ’ He meant what he said whole-heartedly. Their relationship was one that had been built on mutual acceptance and understanding that they were different and respecting that. They complemented each other as partners and equals even before they’d become more than friends, balancing the other’s weaknesses with their own strengths. And while they had their fair share of disagreements and misunderstandings, nothing had been quite able to drive them apart as such.

Not like Amber and Wonshik anyway; those two worked better as friends. Especially now that neither had made it to dragonrider status and they had found other interests to pull them in different directions. Wonshik was seeking an apprenticeship under Seunghyun, though why anyone would volunteer for such a position was a mystery to Taekwoon. And as some had suspected, Amber was getting closer to Master Kibum. And not just to learn about how to teach History either. Taekwoon was happy for them to move on, but even though their own Trials had been years ago now, it still felt fresh in his mind.

The would-be dragonrider closed his eyes and took a small breath, feeling the aches and bruises in his body. His forearms were black and blue from where the bar of the climbing spur had pressed against him and a myriad of splotchy colors were blossoming across various parts of his body from the effects of squaring off against a dragon. Ironically, none of them hurt more than Jinki’s fear and uncertainty.

He could still see the shame filled tears forming in the corners of his eyes. ‘ _Only that you will care for your dragon more._ ’ Taekwoon couldn’t blame him for being afraid of being replaced, but neither could he reassure him otherwise. In his mind, there was no other Jinki and therefore nothing to replace, but even Taekwoon didn’t know what it would be like to be bonded with a dragon.

Dragons and riders ran the gamut of closeness after all. Jiho and N were partners and friends, messing with each other as much as siblings more often than not. On the other hand, Captain Yunho and Hero were exceptionally close, being considered a pairing in their own right, but only within the Aerie. And he had heard of others gaining dragonrider status by money or position alone and thereby forging a bond that was tainted and not earned in the proper way. He was quite curious about the newest group Jinki had mentioned where the dragonriders seemed different. Or maybe just flukes since there were reportedly only a couple of them. None of the thoughts helped to calm his mind though.

Taekwoon’s arm tightened around Jinki’s shoulders and he turned his gaze back to the shrouded-in-shadow ceiling. “Bahamut give me strength,” he prayed softly, just as troubled now as he had been when first he laid down to sleep.

As Taekwoon closed his eyes, determined to get some sleep so he’d be ready for the morning, he couldn’t help but be at least a little grateful that it was a Priest of Bahamut that had guided him when he was a child. Better him than Tiamat…

The next day was spent in rest, recovery, and meditation. Jinki mostly left him alone, giving him space and time to heal. Though he did stop in periodically with food and water and healing salves he borrowed from Mimi. “These are healing nicely,” he murmured, painting on the salve with gentle fingers.

“Thankfully,” Taekwoon breathed, nodding in agreement as he held his shirt up for Jinki.

“I’m glad you’re actually resting today,” his other half smiled, one hand pausing to rest on a covered shoulder.

“You can stay you know,” the trainee reminded him, glancing over his shoulder out of the corner of his eyes.

“No. You need to keep a clear head for the morrow,” Jinki declined firmly. “And working out there helps keep me distracted,” he admitted with a shrug.

Taekwoon glanced down and slowly lowered his shirt back over the healing wounds. “I succeeded in the first Trial and I’ll succeed in the second too,” he promised earnestly.

Jinki sighed and placed his head against the other man’s back. “I believe you. I just can’t help but worry all the same. Just know that I am so proud of you, Woonie,” he whispered, reaching around to find and hold the nearest hand in his.

“Thank you,” Taekwoon smiled, gripping back and raising the hand to his lips, kissing it softly.

He heard a soft sigh and felt the other arm slip around his waist to hug him briefly. “I should go,” Jinki murmured a moment later, pulling away, but letting his fingers trail against the other man’s body as long as possible before he did. “I’ll see you tonight, Woonie.”

“Don’t work too hard, Jinki,” Taekwoon called back, watching his other half retreat with mixed feelings. He understood it and he agreed it was easier to focus when Jinki wasn’t there, but he didn’t like it.

At least everything felt right when they went to supper together and then settled in bed as usual. For a wonder, he slept quiet well that evening too.

The morning air felt chillier than usual and his light breakfast sat heavy in his stomach as Taekwoon swallowed hard and stared up the steps leading to the Outer and Inner Sanctums of Bahamut’s Aerie. From afar, he could see the current sentries on guard – a blue and white dragon he wasn’t positive about yet – but the sun’s light peeking around the mountain showered them with golden beams that made them gleam like polished gems. Their riders were likely inside, which was probably where Hyesung and Dongwan were as well.

His heart pounded loud and fast in his chest and Taekwoon thought the dragons at least should be able to hear it. But maybe not with the sound of the Aerie coming to life around him first thing in the morning. He turned his head when quick footsteps announced the arrival of an early morning errand runner and he saw Sanghyuk running past. Likely, the younger man was on his way from Master Satoru, but the bright eyed boy grinned upon seeing Taekwoon and waved a hurried greeting.

“Good luck!” he called, smoothing a hand over his short, black hair before moving on.

Taekwoon grunted at the comment and managed a half-hearted shrug. He would probably need it. Jinki hadn’t said it that morning because ‘ _You are going to succeed_ ,’ was his response. Standing in front of the steps to take him to his Trials, it almost felt unreal. At least until the sound of footsteps faded and he was instead surprised by a hard clap on his shoulder.

“Ready for this?” Dongwan asked at Taekwoon’s side, eyes dancing in amusement that he’d caught the other man unaware.

Stifling his irritation at having been snuck up on, Taekwoon nodded his head once and licked his lips. “Yes.”

“Let’s go then. It’s going to be a long day for you, trainee,” the Dragon Master winked before ushering Taekwoon ahead of him so they could begin traversing the steps.

The path rose upward, long and familiar. Taekwoon’s legs burned from the climb but it felt good, even with the aches from the previous day. He could feel Dongwan’s presence at his back, steady and confident but giving little in the way of encouragement. There would be nothing more from him for the day, if he was right about the test ahead. Nor did the dragons on duty offer more than a nod, following their progress with large, golden eyes.

Inside the Outer Sanctum, the room opened before him. It was decorated with murals and statues of the dragon God Bahamut. He was a truly powerful creature. Massive in size and terrifying in his power and beauty. Unlike most dragons, he had the same color body and eyes: silver. Strangely, it looked as if the statues actually followed him when he walked and Taekwoon felt unsettled by the sensation.

Dongwan caught his reaction and chuckled knowingly. "It takes some getting used to."

"The statues?" Taekwoon asked for confirmation.

The other man nodded with a small shrug. "That one's the worst," he explained, pointing at the central statue that was twice as big as any other in the room. It took up the majority of space in the interior. Bahamut's tail wound around the base securely and his head reached to the ceiling, apparently holding it up with the top of his horns. Wing tips brushed points at either side of the room, offering additional support, but Dongwan was right. The eyes seemed to bore into Taekwoon as he paused to look up at it.

"Do the paintings do it too?" he asked with a nod towards the hanging canvases around the room.

Master Dongwan snorted and waved the question away. "Bad enough the statues do. Don't give the paintings ideas," he winked before nodding his head towards the Inner Sanctum double doors. "Come on. Or I might start to think you're stalling."

Taekwoon chuckled and shrugged. "Fair enough, though you can't blame me for being curious. We're not often allowed in the Sanctum," he reminded the Dragon Master.

"Fair point." He said nothing else, however, before striding across the open stone bridge and for the double doors nestled in the cliff face. They swung open with silent ease, a neat trick that, and lights flickered to life inside. Another interesting trick... "And down the stairs you go," he gestured blithely, extending his hand towards the darkened staircase that disappeared into the black of shadows.

"Are there lights on the way down?" Taekwoon wondered aloud, heading for the edge to peer below.

"Course not," Dongwan laughed once, grabbing a torch from the wall and handing it off to the other man. "Can't expect there to be lights and magic everywhere," he grinned.

"Ah." While he wasn't sure about how true that was, Taekwoon had to agree it seemed a bit much to have magic anything when normal means sufficed. Besides, the idea of magic just made his skin crawl – it didn’t seem natural. "Thank you," he added as the Dragon Master handed the torch over.

"You'll have a full day to meditate and come to terms with the test before you _have_ to enter the Second Trial officially," he reminded the younger man. "I'm obliged to remind you that you can withdraw your nomination at any point prior to entering the Trial."

"Understood, but not necessary," Taekwoon bowed slightly. His mind was made up regardless. No matter the danger or worry he might have felt from hearing about stories from the others, this was what he wanted to do and he knew it.

"Very well. I'll leave you to it then, Dragonrider Trainee Taekwoon," the Dragon Master intoned more formally, giving a polite bow before stepping back and gently closing the silent doors behind him.

It was slightly unnerving. But with the doors closed, it only left one way to go from there. Peering into the shadows once more, Taekwoon took a breath and firmed his resolve. Then he took his first step and started down the stairs. He didn't know how many he trekked down. He lost count soon after the first couple dozen.

Like many things with his training, he knew it could have been marks and it could have been far less time. All he knew for certain was that he had to keep going down and down and down until something changed. At last, the stairs stopped and Taekwoon took a breath. The air smelled dry and cold, but it was touched with something else. Something that tickled his nose and made him think dragon, but not.

Looking around, he didn't see anyone or anything. The room remained dark and there were no other lights that came to life around him. For all intents and purposes, the room was deathly still and silent. Taekwoon wondered what was supposed to happen next, and he contemplated heading back up to see if there was further guidance or something he'd missed. But he stopped and waited, heart pounding loudly in his ears as he did so.

Without warning, his torch simply died in his hands, the flame extinguishing as if it had been dunked in water. Taekwoon started, dropping the dead stick accidentally. It clattered on the ground, the sound echoing in the space, eerie and unnatural. "Hello?" he called softly, inhaling when the hairs on his arm and back of his neck stood on end. Magic...

A quiet gasp escaped his parted lips when the floor burned into life, a silver fire of tiny flames that spread outward. Little fingers of sparks danced and painted a picture upon the stone, the sight mesmerizing. No sound broke the yawning void beyond and the only thing Taekwoon could hear was his own heartbeat. It was fast in his ears, beating a drum in his head. But as the circle was completed, a curious calm washed over him. Peace descended and his pulse slowed, steady and strong.

It took him a moment to realize that the circle actually seemed to be pulsing with his heartbeat, dimming and brightening in equal measure. "Okay," Taekwoon murmured with a nod. He flexed his fingers and twisted his head to either side, popping his neck. "Let's do this," he exhaled, stepping forward with a confidence he wasn't sure he felt.

His booted foot crossed the outer threshold and the lines burned bright. Power thrummed in the air and when he was within the circle entirely, silver fire rose like a curtain, completely encircling Taekwoon. It was slightly alarming, but he felt no malice. No wish for harm. Only power reacting to... something.

"You are mine..." a deep rumbling voice crooned from somewhere.

If Taekwoon didn't know better, he'd have said it was coming from the circle. Or the floor. And it touched his spirit in a way that sent shivers through his body. For a moment, he searched for the speaker, but then he realized what the words had been. They were the first half of the binding sentence. Taking a breath, Taekwoon closed his eyes, clenched his fists, and whispered, "…and I am yours."

Power surged and grabbed him, overwhelming and terrible. He couldn't breathe, couldn't move... and then he fell. The trainee opened his mouth to scream but no sound emerged. Prying open his eyes, he expected to see something happening. He was more than surprised to see there was nothing but gray everywhere around him. Or maybe it was silver, but that was it. He was falling, he was sure, but it didn't look like it. There was no motion that he could detect, though he was certain he was moving somewhere.

The sensation went on long enough for him to gather his courage and resolve once more. Maybe that was intentional though. As soon as he felt prepared, he was surprised again by setting down on something. His feet came into contact with a surface and he swallowed hard. "Hello?" he called again, looking around for anything.

"Hello," that same rumbling voice from earlier greeted, though no speaker appeared.

"Who are you?" Taekwoon asked, narrowed eyes searching intently. The voice seemed to come from everywhere. It gave no clue as to where the speaker was.

"That's not important," the voice chuckled, bemused and sad at the same time.

Taekwoon wanted to know why. "Okay," he responded instead, letting it go. "Where are you?" he asked, still searching. Maybe if he saw who it was, he'd be able to place the who. It had to be a dragon he knew, right?

"Right here," the speaker smiled, the expression abundantly obvious in his voice.

His back prickled like there was a target on it and Taekwoon spun around, gasping when he saw a man behind him. A naked man. A very tall, older, and... strong naked man. "Yah!" he yelped, back stepping once before he stopped and firmed his resolve, staring at the other person.

"Good," he nodded, silver hair and eyes almost glowing. "You have heart," he chuckled with bemusement in his eyes, giving Taekwoon a once over.

Frowning, Taekwoon followed his gaze and then flushed. He was fully as naked as the other man. Frantically, he looked around for his own coverings but saw there was nothing at all. When he opened his mouth to speak, the other man held up a hand and quieted him, "Be still, young one. There is no shame in this form," he explained gently, voice soft, as if he was coaxing a frightened child.

That was enough to spark a flame within Taekwoon. Cheeks still flushed, he stood up tall and pulled his shoulders back, defiantly tilting his head up. "I am _not_ ashamed."

"Good," the other man murmured quickly. "The first lesson you are always thus," he explained, one hand gesturing towards Taekwoon. "Just as your dragon will be when you meet them here as well," he promised, silver eyes nearly glowing with the strength of his words.

Dark brows pulled down in mild confusion. "Who are you?" Taekwoon had to ask again. The person he stood across from felt like neither a dragon nor a man. But if he was neither of those things, what else could he be?

A bemused smile crossed his lips again. Silence was the answer for a moment, silver head shaking in amusement. "Everyone always wonders who. One day, someone will simply know," he whispered softly, as if speaking to himself.

There was a world of longing in his voice as he spoke and Taekwoon wished that he was that person. Could be that person. But he knew he'd already lost the moment. He did not know, and thus he had failed. "Then, why are you here?" he asked instead, letting the disappointment flow away like water. He could examine it again another day.

Another smile, dangerous this time, pulled the man's lips up, revealing too white teeth. The expression made Taekwoon shiver. "I am your Trial," he grinned, fingers playing in the air at his side. "Subdue me and you will know that you are ready," he promised, a wicked gleam in his eyes.

It did not fill Taekwoon with confidence. "Okay," he breathed, swallowing hard. "Let's do this."

As soon as he finished speaking, the other man moved. It was almost as if Taekwoon blinked and he was there, looming over him. Bahamut he was tall! His opponent smiled at the same time, like he'd heard the thought. Taekwoon knew it was impossible and thought he was trying to intimidate him. It was working. Dropping low, he tried for a sweep, attempting to buy time to find his footing.

The silver haired man danced over the sweep. His right leg swung out and around, aiming for Taekwoon's head. That at least he knew how to handle. Planting his feet, he rose with the swing, catching the foot against his side as he moved to lessen the blow. It still took his breath away and bruised his ribs, knocking him aside with ease.

Stunned, he slid over the ground and marveled in confusion. That had worked over a hundred times in practice. Why hadn't it worked here?

"Careful," the other man chided, giving him a moment to get to his feet.

With far less confidence than he wished, Taekwoon rose, shaking his hands out again. Old dragon, he guessed, brow furrowed as he stared at the figure. Powerful, obviously. The Trance realm was not a space that was bound by normal workings. Will had a lot to do with it, but something powerful enough could affect it too. Something like an old dragon.

"Now you're thinking," the other man grinned, fire sparking in his eyes. He was enjoying this.

"Okay," Taekwoon nodded once. He spread his legs, one back behind the other, and leaned forward. Launching off his back foot, he sprinted ahead, moving fast. Arms and legs pumped hard, driving him towards his target. His hair tickled his face, brushing against his forehead and cheeks, but he kept his focus on the other man. Unmoved, he waited, leg bouncing softly. Threat or warning? Taekwoon couldn't say. Couldn't guess. Didn't matter. He was committed now.

He kept one eye trained on the right leg and the other focusing on the man as a whole. He wasn't surprised when the right leg rose up, snapping out to kick at him. Running with his plan and opening, Taekwoon lurched to the side just enough to brush past the outstretched foot. His hands rose up to defend against any upper attacks, but when none came, he planted his left foot and slammed his shoulder into the other man's side. It felt like hitting a wall. A wall that moved though, albeit slower than he thought it should have.

"Good," the man coughed, grabbing at Taekwoon reflexively.

The trainee planted his right foot and stalled, ducking his head so the other might not grab his hair. Fingers dragged over his back and down his arms, but didn't catch. The silver haired man hit the ground and rolled over his shoulder, rising to his feet easily. Frustrated and annoyed, Taekwoon followed, stomping at the nearest foot in a pseudo-fake. His opponent dodged easily, countering with a lightning fast punch.

Taekwoon ducked and tried a sweep again. He wasn't surprised when the other man dodged, but he had learned enough not to try catching the following kick. Instead, he rolled under it and kicked out at the remaining leg. His foot just brushed against the ankle as it tried to move away. The trainee caught a look of pleased surprise on the man's face as he lost his footing.

He hit the ground with a jarring exhale of air. It didn't stun him though. The ground only served as a launching point for him to push off of, arms pulsing when he rolled onto his stomach to shove away. Taekwoon followed, hurling himself forward with a front kick that barely missed. A hip check sent him staggering to the side and he pretended to stumble, falling forward so he could plant his hands and donkey kick at the other man.

A delighted laugh was the response, even as his feet connected with a solid abdomen. No wall this time, it felt more like a mountain. A mountain that held and then gave reluctantly. Rolling forward, Taekwoon got to his feet and spun, hands up and knees bent, ready to defend or attack as the opportunity presented itself. Even prepared, he almost missed the nearly magical appearance of his opponent before him. A quick fist tapped him on the side of the head, the blow reduced by a hasty block.

It was still enough to stun him. Bahamut he hit hard. Again his opponent's mouth quirked and he blinked quickly, fighting to remain on his feet. Letting his body continue its fluid motion, Taekwoon ducked as another blow aimed high. Setting his feet, he heaved forward, throwing his whole weight into the tackle. The solid torso felt too hard and inhuman in his grip. But it did move... slowly.

Together, they fell as one. Time seemed to slow for Taekwoon. He could feel his opponent, hear his heartbeat, and see them falling at the same time. For a heartbeat, it almost felt as if he was looking at it all from a different vantage. Then the moment passed and they were falling at normal speed again. His target hit the ground and he had to duck his head to make sure he didn't get caught under the body weight. It still hurt with the glancing blow, but his momentum was enough to carry him forward, over the other man's prone body.

Reaching fingers brushed at him as he rolled away. They disappeared and he landed on his feet. His body twisted awkwardly, slightly off balance as he tried to turn fast enough to keep an eye on his opponent. The silver haired man was looking at him, a satisfied gleam in his eyes, even as he moved to get up. It seemed slower than before though. For a brief moment, Taekwoon had the strangest impression that his opponent was not unlike a parent play fighting with his child.

The thought disappeared as quickly as it came though. He pounced forward and snagged an outstretched hand, almost like it was put there specifically for him. Immediately, he twisted it and forced the other man's body to turn with him. Twisting the arm hard, adrenaline and worry pushing him, Taekwoon pressed towards the ground and pinned his opponent there, face down. With his grip on the one arm and his legs splayed on either side of his body, Taekwoon knew it was impossible for the other man to escape.

"You are mine," he hissed, into the man's ear, body trembling. In fear, excitement, worry, he didn't know. But he was going to win.

"And I am yours," the silver haired man laughed, obviously pleased.

It only served to confuse Taekwoon. He was even more taken aback when his very secure captive almost effortlessly broke his hold. The arm ripped free from him and he was flung away like a child when the other decided to stand up. "Hey!" he yelped, flailing to catch himself before the ground did.

"Well done," his opponent conceded, bowing slightly. A pleased smile still played on his lips and his silver eyes glowed, but even though he had 'lost,' it looked very much as if he'd won.

"Thank you?" Taekwoon offered hesitantly, knowing this was not an official binding. Bahamut's Blood hadn't been used after all.

"Taekwoon of Bahamut's Aerie," he intoned softly, the sound traveling through the trainee as if he was speaking right next to him. "You have proven yourself worthy of attempting the final trial."

Relief and joy and pride suffused him all at once. "Thank you," he breathed again, all emotion and heart.

A pregnant pause lengthened between them. Eventually, Taekwoon looked up to see a thoughtful opponent before him. "Be cautious but be kind," he offered, brow furrowed while he observed the other man. "Respect your dragon and they will respect you," he added, taking a deep breath before closing his silver eyes.

It almost felt as if Taekwoon closed his eyes too. Darkness came. Fast and swift, swallowing him without warning. Once more, he fell. The gray was gone, replaced by shadow and all movement lost meaning. He had no words and no prayers. Nothing was left to him. Only the single thought of, "Stop!"

The hard ground caught him. It felt like his head hit the surface but his vision didn't change. He saw the stone spreading out before him, the soft silver flames burning low in the space. His eyes fluttered and his ears rang, the sound of his heartbeat overwhelmed by a sharp hum. Lost and confused, he cried out and returned to darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now we get to see a bit of the Trance realm. This will be explored more later, but for now, I hope you've enjoyed this peek into it. Any questions, comments, or concerns are welcome too! I hope you're continuing to enjoy the story so far and please look forward to more to come! We're just getting started. haha


	8. The Calm Before the Storm

A warm damp cloth against his head woke Taekwoon. Tired eyes pried open to look and then flinch at the light above. Sunlight streaming in through an open window made him feel blind, but warm and alive. He hissed and turned his head away, fleeing from the brightness. A single word stopped him though.

“Taekwoonie?”

His breath caught in his throat and he forced himself to look around. To find the speaker of that name. “Jinki?” he called softly, squinting through the brilliance. Why was everything so bright?!

“I’m here,” the soft voice answered, fingers wrapping around his nearest hand.

Taekwoon exhaled and squeezed tight, feeling anchored by the other man’s hand in his. Memories assaulted him quickly, trying to piece together what had happened and how he got here. The second Trial. The silver haired opponent. Darkness consuming him. And this…

“Hey,” the other man smiled, his warm brown eyes nearly disappearing in his face as he focused Taekwoon’s attention to look at him.

“Hey,” the trainee groaned, narrowed eyes nearly blinding him with his lashes. Comically, he forced his eyes wide and Jinki laughed at the expression, reaching down to cup his cheek tenderly. “Not nice to laugh at an injured man,” he chided sorely, feeling everything hurt.

“You’re right,” Jinki admitted with a laugh, sniffing softly. “I’m just glad you’re okay,” he whispered, kissing the nearest hand softly.

“You should see the other guy,” he laughed once, coughing when it proved too much.

Jinki beamed, his brown eyes glinting with tears. “I’m sure.”

“You should,” Taekwoon insisted, pulling the other man’s hand down so he could kiss it in turn. “How are you?”

“I should be asking you that,” Jinki tsked, swallowing hard. He reached his other hand out to smooth Taekwoon’s bangs away from his face and then cup his cheek again.

“I’m okay,” the trainee promised, using both hands to grab Jinki’s and hold it against his chest. “A little battered and bruised but I passed,” he smiled, tired eyes nearly closed in his face.

“Foolish man,” Jinki barked a laugh, leaning close enough to place his lips against Taekwoon’s forehead.

“Never said I wasn’t,” Taekwoon reminded the other, staring up into the eyes so close to his. A quick glance down showed trembling lips, a sure sign the other man was close to tears. He was so tired and just wanted to sleep, but Taekwoon mustered his reserves. “Hey,” he soothed, wincing as he forced himself into a sitting position. “It’s alright,” he promised, peering at Jinki evenly.

“I know,” Jinki responded, his lip still trembling. “But you’re still hurt and this was only a trial,” he admitted, grabbing the hand in his tighter and holding it close.

“But,” Taekwoon drew out, wrapping his free arm around Jinki and holding him close. He kissed the crown of sun-kissed brown hair. “A trial that I won,” he reminded him, hugging the other man tight.

Jinki calmed in his arms, but didn’t pull away. His next words confirmed more of his fears. “I know this is what you want, but I don’t want to lose you.”

“You won’t,” Taekwoon promised immediately.

“You keep saying that,” Jinki sighed, hands tightening on the other man’s arms. “I might keep believing it, but you keep coming back like this,” he forced a laugh, patting blanket covered legs.

It bothered him that Jinki didn’t look up to meet his eyes. Taekwoon pursed his lips and captured the downturned chin gently. “Look at me,” he murmured, brow furrowed enough to give him a forehead wrinkle. Jinki immediately reached up to smooth it and Taekwoon smiled, making the mark disappear once more. “You are mine and I am yours,” he promised, holding Jinki’s gaze.

“I’m not your dragon,” Jinki reminded him with a sad laugh.

“No,” Taekwoon agreed, a warm smile pulling his mouth up. “You are my Jinki. My heart. My partner. My friend. And so much more,” he promised, cupping the back of Jinki’s head and pressing his lips to the bang covered forehead. He pulled away and just held the other man against him, enjoying the feeling of him in his arms. His hair smelled nice too. Must have washed it recently.

“Are you smelling my hair?” Jinki laughed lightly, the sniffing sound apparently too obvious.

“Mm hmm.”

“Well at least one of us smells good,” he teased with a snort.

“Hey,” Taekwoon complained, amused but slightly resenting that. He couldn’t help it if he’d been unconscious for… “How long have I been sleeping?” he asked since he didn’t know how long he’d been out.

“A full day,” Jinki explained easily, pulling away with some reluctance so he could get a better look at his other half. “Hyesung and Mimi both said it was normal,” he added, cutting off Taekwoon’s question before the words could come out of his mouth. “Especially for the ones that passed,” he shrugged, looking away quickly before meeting the other man’s gaze again.

Taekwoon shook his head and exhaled. “They tell you it’s not going to be easy in class, but skip the details about getting better.”

“No,” Jinki shook his head, one finger resting over his lips. At Taekwoon’s raised brow, he laughed. “They tell you the time could be anywhere from a couple marks to a couple days for recovery. It’s different for every person.” Still shaking his head, he stood up and wandered to the table on the side of their room so he could pick up the pitcher and poor a glass of water into the wooden cup. “Besides, you’re lucky it only took you a day after the first Trial to be ready for the second.”

That much Taekwoon did know. “Thanks,” he murmured, accepting the cup and dutifully drinking the tepid liquid under Jinki’s watchful gaze. “I was hurt but I walked away from my trial,” he conceded gravely. Many others had not.

Jinki was silent for a moment, reaching out his hand to take the cup and get more water. He swallowed a half cup and then poured again, bringing it back to Taekwoon. “You’ve still got two days to rest,” he explained, sitting on the side of the bed once more. “Promise me you’ll take that time to actually rest,” he urged, holding the cup firm as Taekwoon’s hand slightly overlapped his.

“Jinki,” he chuckled, bringing his other hand up to cup Jinki’s between them and the cup. “The only thing I intend on doing for the next two days is seeing you,” he grinned, finally conjuring a genuine and relieved smile from the other man. He claimed the water cup from a relaxed hand and took a sip before he added, “And maybe see a dragon or two.”

“Woonie…”

“And I have to see N at some point,” the trainee shrugged, shaking his head like there was nothing he could do.

“Ugh,” Jinki groaned, head tilting back as he looked at the ceiling.

Taekwoon relented quickly enough, setting the empty cup on the bed as he reached to grab Jinki’s arm, fingers wrapping around the forearm tenderly. “But mostly, I just want to spend time with you.”

“Yeah?” Jinki asked, turning his hand over to mirror Taekwoon’s hold.

“Yeah,” he breathed, reaching out to gently grip the back of Jinki’s neck. “Just you.”

When Jinki smiled this time, it was like the sun had come out. More than from the open window. Taekwoon’s heart soared and the tension he didn’t know he’d been carrying simply dissolved in the face of that beatific expression. “Can we start now?” Jinki asked with quiet hopefulness.

“Sure,” Taekwoon answered easily, his voice soft and pleased. “I warn you I’m not at my best right now.”

“I just wanna be with you,” Jinki assured him, scooching closer and turning so he could better align his body with Taekwoon’s. “When you’re awake and not fighting or studying or sleeping to recover from something,” he clarified, freeing his arm so he could wrap them around Taekwoon’s waist and cuddle close.

“I see,” the trainee smiled, tightening his arms around his heart and resting his cheek atop the other man’s head. “So what did I miss while I was out?” he asked, getting the conversation started again after a brief but comfortable pause.

“Nothing new,” Jinki answered. “Classes, training, dragons and riders. The usual ebb and flow of the Aerie. You were the unusual event and even that didn’t change the daily workings of what goes on here.”

“Good to know,” Taekwoon laughed. He hadn’t expected his Trial to really change things but it was one thing to think about it versus knowing.

“What about you? How did this Trial go?” Jinki asked. He’d been able to see the first trial as it was physical and in person. The second was entirely mental. Or spiritual depending on who you asked.

“Hard,” he nodded. A gentle smack on his stomach made him laugh. That was not new information. “Interesting,” he amended thoughtfully. “You know how they explain the idea of Trance in class?”

“Mm hmm,” the other man quietly encouraged.

“Well, it was like that but I never actually saw a dragon.”

“Eh?”

“I know. There were just these stairs in the Inner Sanctum that led to a room somewhere. It was dark. And then these silver flames drew a circle. Magic of some kind,” he breathed, remembering the scene vividly. “A voice called to me. Deep. Powerful. Like something that moves through your whole body.” It was familiar too but he still didn’t know why. “And then the circle just pulls you away to somewhere. Not your body. I don’t think,” he admitted. He didn’t know what had happened to his body during or after the Trial. “But your mind or your spirit goes somewhere else. Somewhere gray and empty.”

“That doesn’t sound too bad or interesting,” Jinki commented, thoughtfully playing with the blanket between his fingertips.

“The interesting part was the man I faced off against,” Taekwoon chuckled, biting his lip as he contemplated teasing his partner.

“Oh?” Curiosity was obviously piqued.

“Perfect figure,” Taekwoon explained in a deadpan tone.

“And how would you know?” Jinki wondered shrewdly, eyes obviously narrowed.

“Completely naked.” He had to fight not to laugh at Jinki’s reactive gasp. “Like I was.”

Mildly scandalized, Jinki muttered, “Should I be jealous or worried?”

“Yes,” Taekwoon answered, but went on before the other man could actually get upset. “But only if I was interested in anyone other than you.”

“And you weren’t at all interested?” That was a trap, but an easy one to avoid.

“Of course not.” His scoff was genuine. He had the only person he wanted in his arms right now. More to the point… “He was my opponent only. And everything about him screamed father figure.” They both shuddered at the jump in thought that conjured. “Exactly,” Taekwoon laughed, giving Jinki’s shoulder a squeeze. “But he was amazing,” he added, voice soft with memory. “Silver hair and silver eyes. And just… powerful,” he explained, brow furrowed again.

“But you won,” Jinki reminded him, leaving the unspoken question there.

“Sort of. I mean, I was fighting as hard as I could. It felt like a real battle for me. But for him… it just seemed like a game. He was happy or maybe even proud when I hit him. I get the feeling he could have wiped the floor with me, but he didn’t,” Taekwoon explained, chewing his lip in thought. “He did break my hold on him so easily though.”

“What hold?”

“You know. The arm twisted behind the back hold. And he was pinned on the ground,” Taekwoon muttered, remembering the strength he’d felt in that moment.

“Really?” Jinki gasped, looking up to meet Taekwoon’s gaze to make sure he wasn’t messing with him.

“Really. But then he said I had done well and gave me leave to try the final trial.”

“Who was he?” Jinki asked in confusion.

“I don’t know. I mean, he had to have been a dragon. Silver dragons are rare and all but no human has silver eyes. And it wasn’t Hero. I know that for a fact. There is no way that person and the dragon were one and the same,” he explained in a tone that make Jinki laugh.

“Could it have been Bahamut?” Jinki wondered softly, his voice quiet and unsure.

Taekwoon’s immediate reaction was automatic denial, but paused first. It was not in the realm of the impossible, but it was so unlikely as to seem that way. “I don’t think so. I mean… why? Why would the dragon god take part in a test like this? I’m only a trainee after all. Really, only his priests get to commune with him.”

Jinki shrugged with an uncertain sound. “I don’t know, but if he wasn’t Hero and he wasn’t human, there aren’t many other things he could have been. Maybe a dragon ghost?” he laughed, the suggestion clearly in jest.

“Maybe,” Taekwoon agreed, though he didn’t add on that it was also not in the realm of the impossible. With magic and that circle – the nature of which he didn’t understand, many things could be possible. Perhaps he could ask a Priest about it. Or maybe Jolin. Or maybe have Jinki help him find a book with some answers. The Dragon authorities were always so intimidating…

“Well, whoever it was, I’m glad they acknowledged you,” Jinki murmured, face pressing into Taekwoon’s chest.

“Me too,” he whispered back, holding tight to Jinki but still thoughtful. His resolve was firm but there just never seemed to be enough answers for anything. “Me too.”

The pair spent the rest of the day lounging in their shared bedroom. Taekwoon was weary to the bone – more so than after his first Trial strangely enough – and Jinki was more than happy to take care of him. It was time they did not often get to spend together of late. Taekwoon had been very busy these past couple moons. His dream was time consuming, demanding, and dangerous, and while Jinki supported it, there was often very little time to spend in shared company. Especially since Jinki was interested in training to be an Aerie Master.

Taekwoon found it quite ironic. He didn’t much favor the dragons – that niggling fear always stayed in the back of his mind, but he had a knack for and a love of handing the details of larger projects. Really, he was made to delegate and coordinate large scale events or enclosures. His manner with people was physically clumsy but that added to his social charms often enough, especially since he’d gotten better with age and practice.

Not surprisingly, the dragons and dragon classes didn’t exactly coincide with Aerie affairs. History and geography classes were exceptions, of course, but they were just that: exceptions. More often than not, they ate their meals together, as most residents of the Aerie did, and shared the same living space in the mornings and evenings, but even then, the work of the day often followed them there. Jinki was always looking over books or paperwork and Taekwoon was generally doing something physical – or hunkered down with a book about a completely different topic than whatever Jinki was working on.

It was honest, fulfilling work. But some days, it was nice to just be. Like today. The day before Taekwoon would head into the wilds to find and bind his own dragon. Sequestered away outside the walls of the Aerie and sitting together on the ledge that overlooked the surrounding area, Taekwoon enjoyed the day and Jinki’s quiet company. The nearby city of Aerie’s Rest, so named because of it’s proximity to the Aerie itself, bustled with life far below. People and animals looked like insects from this vantage, but both Taekwoon and Jinki could watch them for marks.

“That cloud looks like a dragon,” Jinki spoke into the quiet, pointing at a fluffy white cloud that was floating by.

Taekwoon pulled his gaze from the city and searched the blue expanse above until he noticed what his partner was talking about. His laugh was immediate and amused. “That is a strange dragon then.”

“I don’t think so,” Jinki responded confidently. “See? There are the wings and that’s the head and the tail… is starting to detach but it _was_ a dragon,” he laughed, pulling his knee to his chest so he could rest his chin on it.

“What color do you think it was?” Taekwoon asked, leaning closer, but not quite touching.

“I think it was a little small,” he explained, wrinkling his nose. “So probably a blue or a red. Definitely not a silver or a gold,” he grinned.

“Yeah. Probably not,” Taekwoon hummed, thoughts full for the morrow.

Neither spoke for a moment until Jinki began again. “Hey Woonie. What color dragon do you want?” he wondered softly, expression pensive when Taekwoon looked over to meet his eyes. “I know you’ve wanted a dragon since forever,” he admitted, “but you’ve never said a preference for color.”

“I’d be happy with any dragon,” Taekwoon answered honestly, but even before Jinki smacked his arm, he knew it wasn’t the right answer.

“I know that, jerk,” Jinki snorted, a briefly cross expression disappearing in the wake of open curiosity. “But if you could choose a color, which one would you _want_?”

“Huh,” the trainee sighed, pulling at his bottom lip in thought. He hadn’t really considered it so much. They were all stunning creatures, though sizes varied considerably between them. And genders to a degree. In each tier – gold and silver, white and black, red and blue, copper and bronze – one was more often male and the other more often female, but that was not the rule with two exceptions. Silver was always male, like Bahamut, and black was always female, like Tiamat.

Part of him wanted a silver. Hero was gorgeous and massive. A dragon truly meant for a captain. But that was a large part of the reason he didn’t actually want a silver. Taekwoon had no desire to be a Dragon Captain. And while the white dragons were equally brilliant in their own way, they tended to be a bit on the smaller side for his tastes. Their acrobatic ability was second to none, but he preferred a more direct style of combat.

He could feel Jinki’s gaze on him, patient and curious. Eventually, Taekwoon parsed through the dragons enough to have a reasonable answer. “Copper or bronze,” he finally stated firmly, proud of himself for the answer.

Happy to finally have an answer, Jinki shifted to turn his body towards the other man and pulled both knees to his chest. “Why?” he asked with a grin, chin resting back on his knees once more.

Taekwoon licked his lips as he contemplated the words for his answer. “I might actually be able to get you to ride a larger one,” he teased, grinning when Jinki smacked him again. “But really, their size and… attitude,” he gestured, for lack of a better word. “They’re not proud like leaders. Like the silvers and golds. But they are determined and steady. They’re the dragons you call when you really need help. The ones that defend and protect as well as they can attack. The blacks and whites are too… energetic,” he explained, waving his hand somewhat dismissively. “I wouldn’t mind one,” he cautioned, holding his hand up to forestall any words Jinki might offer. “But I would prefer the temperament and size of a copper or bronze.”

For a moment, Jinki just looked at him proudly, another emotion flickering in his eyes. “Good answer, dear one,” he chuckled, a little sad in his response. “But you must want my heart to die of worry and fright with reasons like that.” Taekwoon shrugged. “’The dragons you call when you really need help’? You’ll be right in the thick of combat if that is the case.”

“And if fighting comes to pass, that is where the biggest difference is made,” Taekwoon explained, laying his hand atop Jinki’s reassuringly.

Jinki took a deep breath and laced his fingers lightly between Taekwoon’s. “I asked and you answered, but please. Promise me you’ll be careful if you do get a bronze or copper,” he laughed, biting his lip in a preemptive cringe.

Taekwoon was pleased that there never seemed to be any doubt in Jinki’s manner that he would succeed. He was already looking to the future of ‘when.’ “Aren’t I always careful?” he questioned, grinning harder when Jinki gave a derisive laugh. “But of course, my heart. No matter what dragon I get on the morrow, I will be careful,” he promised, brushing his thumb against the back of Jinki’s hand.

“You better,” Jinki nodded, leaning forward enough to steal a quick kiss on the lips before standing up. “Come on then,” he urged, tugging at the trainee’s hand determinedly. “Time to get you fed and…” He tilted his head and shrugged in a resigned but accepting manner. “Ready for the morrow.”

“If you say so,” Taekwoon shrugged back, dragging on the arm a little longer than necessary. He was tempted to pull Jinki back down with him. It would have been nice to just lay out here in the failing light, watching the sky darken as night came. But chances were equally good someone would be coming to find them soon. He was surprised they’d been left as alone as they had, but he suspected the Dragon and Aerie Masters had something to do with that.

“I do,” Jinki laughed, tugging hard enough to get him moving.

With mild reluctance, Taekwoon allowed himself to be pulled to his feet. “Fine,” he groaned, pretending irritation. A firm smack on his stomach made him groan and then laugh. “Nice,” he complimented, glad that Jinki was finally putting a bit more into his hits. For the longest time, if he did smack Taekwoon, it had been feather soft, as if he was afraid he’d hurt him. It was more satisfying when he felt the hit and it was a point of pride that he knew Jinki wouldn’t hold back if he had to hit someone else.

“Let’s go, trainee. I wanna know what they’re preparing for supper this evening,” Jinki winked, pulling on Taekwoon’s hand with both. When they started moving, he let go with one and kept their fingers loosely interlocked while he continued to lead the way.

Taekwoon smiled at the connection and happily followed. He was content to be badgered by Jinki for the day. After all, who knew how things would change on the morrow.

Supper was a loud, raucous affair. No longer protected from the rest of the Aerie, Taekwoon was fair game for teasing and speculation about his odds for the third Trial. But everyone was careful to keep it playful. No one wanted to risk Jinki’s sadness. Or his ire. It was difficult to get under his skin, but he was sort of legendary in their circles for those rare moments when he turned into a fierce dragon of sorts. And really, that side of him only appeared when he was worried about Taekwoon. Mostly.

“I think you’ll find a dragon but I don’t think you’ll bond tomorrow,” Wonshik grinned, one finger pointing at the quieter trainee across the table.

“Just because you didn’t even make it out of your circle, doesn’t mean Taekwoon won’t manage to complete his Trial,” Amber teased, ramming an elbow firmly in Wonshik’s side.

Taekwoon and Jinki chuckled while Wonshik groaned in pain. It was true that they were no longer an item, but their relationship had turned into something more akin to brother and sister. Strange on the surface, given their intimate history, but they really did work better as friends.

“You didn’t even make it past the first one!” Wonshik gasped back, giving her an affronted look.

“I know that, idiot!” she laughed, giving him a playful smack on the head this time. “I was there.”

Joy, one of the first trainees Taekwoon had seen upon entering the Aerie, leaned forward to ask, “What color do you think you’ll get?” She brushed her strawberry hair back when it threatened to swing into her food and then laughed as she sat further back on her seat.

“Only Bahamut knows,” Taekwoon answered with a shrug. “Knowing my luck, I’ll be fortunate to find _any_ dragon on the morrow.” His comment brought a chorus of laughter. All knew that with his luck, he’d find a gold or silver, but none of them were going to say it.

Taekwoon soaked in the conversation and the camaraderie here. He could feel the Aerie Masters’ eyes on him, observing and watchful, but they did not matter for today. Should he succeed on the morrow, he would worry about them again. Right now, he just wanted to be with his friends and companions. A pity that official dragonriders were not allowed to eat with them, especially before a Trial. The Masters all wanted it to be as self-learned as possible. Before the Trials, he could talk to anyone he wanted to. Now… he needed to either succeed or fail to return to a more normal semblance of life. Supper was the best he was going to get just then.

Even that could only last so long though. And before he knew it, Jinki was pulling at him and urging him to leave the table. “Alright, Taekwoon. We both know you should get some rest before the Trial tomorrow. We can talk with our friends again later,” he promised, waving warmly but firmly at Wonshik, Amber, and Joy.

“Already?” Taekwoon chuckled, allowing himself to be pulled to his feet. “Wish me luck,” he winked at the trio at the table.

They laughed and saluted. “Good luck!”

As he departed, he could hear them making further bets behind his back. Again, nothing that Jinki could hear and all in good fun, but bets nonetheless. Taekwoon let himself be guided back to the sleeping quarters where he and Jinki parted to bathe separately, quickly, and then returned to their shared bed.

Strangely, his normally loose and comfortable sleeping shift felt scratchy and heavy. In the privacy of their own room, he tossed it off and paced, full of nervous, worried energy. So many things could go wrong or right tomorrow. It left a heavy ball of nerves in his gut. Irritatingly, no amount of movement helped. At least until Jinki called to him.

“Would you stop that and come to bed already,” he chided, gesturing for the trainee to join him.

So many words crowded his tongue just then. So many worries. But he knew Jinki already knew them all and so he swallowed the words and sat down silently on the bed. Droplets of water from his hair plunked softly on his skin and trailed down his bare back. “Tomorrow…” he started to say, hands clasped tight before him.

“Is not here,” Jinki reminded him, shifting close to wrap firm arms around the bare waist. He hugged Taekwoon hard from behind, chin resting on his shoulder. “And won’t be for several marks,” he added, pressing his soft lips to the nearest skin.

“Jinki,” he whispered, inhaling deeply as he closed his eyes and placed his hands atop the other man’s.

“I don’t know what will happen tomorrow,” Jinki whispered, inching a little bit closer. “But tonight this time is ours.” Soft lips pressed against Taekwoon’s neck and then moved to brush against his ear. “So be with now,” he pleaded, arms moving up to hold tight to Taekwoon’s chest.

Taekwoon knew the other man was right. Tomorrow was an uncomfortable albeit exciting unknown. There was nothing he could know about how things would turn out. But here and now, there was no doubt. He had the man he wanted to be with and they had the time to be together. It was enough for him.

Turning quickly, he loosed himself from Jinki’s hold and threaded his fingers into damp, brown hair. Holding gently but firmly, he raised his mouth to kiss Jinki’s, wrapping his right arm around the yielding waist and pulling him closer. Together, they both made the little desirous sounds that were pulled from willing throats and that made hands adventurous.

Fingers tangled in his hair and Taekwoon threw aside the blanket that separated them. The bed creaked softly as he crawled onto it, joining Jinki more fully. Gentle but hungry, he lowered the other man to the surface of the bed, body pressing down on the eager flesh beneath him.

“Woonie,” Jinki whispered, lips and tongue lapping at his mouth.

“My heart,” Taekwoon responded, kissing hard as he brought them close in a way that made both their bodies sing. But there was still too much separating them. Determined, he dragged Jinki’s sleeping shift off and tossed it away before kissing him again.

There was no question of what they both wanted in that moment. Faced with the unknown of the next day, they were almost desperate for the certainty this time offered. And they reached for it with abandon. Slowly, joyfully, pleasurably, the two became one and drowned their worries in each other’s willing and receptive bodies.


	9. The Third Trial

Taekwoon woke first. There was no light coming from the closed window so it was still quite early, he knew. Squinting in the darkened space, he looked down at where he knew Jinki was, debating on whether to wake him or not. He would be annoyed if he didn’t, but he would also just worry more if he did. After a moment of hesitation, Taekwoon leaned down to press a feather light kiss against Jinki’s head and then carefully eased himself out of bed.

He told himself that leaving now would just give him incentive to succeed and make it back. Not that he needed another reason, but one more couldn’t hurt. “See you when I return,” he whispered, quietly pulling on his underclothes and stepping outside with his leather armor and dragon gear.

“You’re up early,” Captain Yunho chuckled softly, startling the trainee.

“Oh,” Taekwoon flinched, slightly embarrassed he hadn’t noticed him in the hallway. To be fair, he wasn’t paying that much attention because he hadn’t been expecting anyone, but still.

“Yeah. Didn’t think you’d be sleeping that late,” he added with a shrug, already fully dressed. “I know I didn’t before my last Trial either,” he went on, glancing at the door Taekwoon had come from. “You ready?”

It was a good question. In his heart, he knew he was, but a part of him doubted. He forced out the answer he wanted it to be though. “As ready as I’m going to be.”

“Of course,” Yunho nodded in agreement, seeming to understand the inner conflict. “Come on then. Finish putting on your gear and we’ll swing by the kitchens to get food to go. The rest will be up to you,” he winked, turning smartly to head away on quiet feet.

Taekwoon licked his lips and took another calming breath, feeling a swarm of nerves rising in his stomach. “You can do this,” he promised himself, hurrying to settle his armor in place before he trailed after the Captain.

He found the taller man in the kitchen with a couple meat rolls on hand and a small bag of supplies for the trip. A bleary eyed Junjin shuffled in, scruffy brown hair framing his tired face as if he’d just woken up. He probably had. “All you dragonriders are insane,” he grumbled with a bemused smile and a fluttering wave of his hand.

“Thank you, Junjin,” Yunho grinned, raising the bag in a salute and then handing off a meat pie to Taekwoon. “Here. You can eat this on the way.”

“Thanks,” Taekwoon responded quickly, accepting the meat roll and bowing to Junjin awkwardly before he trailed after the Captain.

They walked in silence, eating their breakfast. Only when they entered into Aerie yard, where Hero was patiently waiting, did Yunho speak again. “You’ve never been dragon back before but all you have to do is hold on and trust in Hero,” he explained, walking right up to the silver dragon and clambering up with enviable ease. “Come on,” he instructed, leaning over to offer his hand for the trainee.

Excitement flooded Taekwoon and he shuffled forward with suddenly clumsy feet. He was going to be flying on Hero. But… he was also going to be flying to find his own dragon. A dragon that would probably try very hard to kill him when they met. The dual emotions warring within were quite real for him, but even as he slowly reached his hand up, the conflict was pushed aside when Yunho grabbed on and hauled him into position behind him. Taekwoon yelped softly, heart racing in his chest. He could feel Yunho’s amusement, and Hero’s to a degree, but it didn’t matter as his situation settled in. He was on a dragon. Childish glee flowed through Taekwoon and he grinned at the realization.

“Just wait til you’re flying,” Yunho called over his shoulder, leaning forward to murmur instructions to Hero.

With a slow moving grace and lazy wings, Hero stood up, jostling the riders. Taekwoon gripped hard to Yunho’s waist, feeling unsettled. The sensation only grew as the dragon padded past the Sanctum Tower and towards the overlook. The sun was just beginning to rise as they neared the edge and the trainee could see the land appear below them. His breath caught in his throat and his eyes grew wide in his face when Hero happily jumped off, taking them with him.

“Hang on!” Yunho grinned, leaning forward as the wind tore at them.

That brief moment of terror as they plummeted made Taekwoon’s throat grow tight before Hero pulled up, hauling them along for the ride. Terror gave way to euphoria and the trainee had to fight the urge to shout in glee. His cheeks hurt from smiling so hard and he could just see a similar expression on Yunho’s face.

When the Captain glanced back, his smile grew wider somehow. “You are very much a dragonrider at heart, trainee,” he laughed.

Taekwoon nodded. This was magical. In this very brief amount of time, he was beginning to understand how a dragon and rider could bond so closely without a non-rider ever coming close to really knowing why. It was a dark and worrying thought that he pushed away harshly, choosing to bask in the freedom of the ride.

Hero angled away from Miremaw and when he leveled out, gliding easily over the wilds, Yunho took out another meat pie and handed one back to Taekwoon carefully. “Here. Eat this first and then you can start looking for a place to begin your search,” he instructed, gesturing towards the open expanse beneath them.

“I choose?” Taekwoon questioned in surprise.

“Of course. You just have to trust your instincts,” he added when it was clear Taekwoon was going to ask another question.

That was the answer he was looking for so he fell silent and took a bite of his pie instead, brow wrinkled in thought. Yunho didn’t rush him and Hero took his time winding back and forth across the sky. It was still early so the world wasn’t yet stirring much. They heard birds aplenty but the skies were free of dragons, nor did they see any moving below. That wasn’t surprising in and of itself. If they spotted one now, chances were good it would flee or challenge them, depending on the situation, and neither made for a good final Trial.

He was grateful for Yunho’s patience. Long after the meat pie was finished, he was still wondering where they should land. Narrowed eyes scanned the trees and the hills, looking for a clue or a sign. Eventually, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, willing himself into stillness. There wasn’t any obvious change, but Taekwoon felt like he sensed something. Blindly, he turned towards it and pointed before opening his eyes. The space before him didn’t look that different, but he was trying to trust his instincts. “There,” he murmured.

“You sure?” Yunho queried, just to confirm.

No, he wasn’t, but if he didn’t choose, he might well fly around all day without actually making a choice. While that wouldn’t be terrible on any other day, it was not something he could afford this day. “Yes,” he stated with as much confidence as he could muster.

“Very well, trainee Taekwoon, Hero,” Yunho called, nudging his shoulder and pointing down where they wanted to go.

Hero crooned in understanding and then began to angle down. His wings beat to keep them steady and slow them gradually, the ride becoming bumpier as they neared the ground. He came to a nearly complete stop, hovering in the air before he dropped the last fifteen feet, narrowly landing in a tiny clearing between the trees. The freefall was a surprise Taekwoon wasn’t expecting and it made him grab hard to Yunho before they hit, jarring them both.

“Well that was graceful,” Yunho chuckled, patting Hero’s shoulder as the dragon craned his head back to snort at his rider. “You did fine,” he reassured, reaching out to scratch under the chin when the silver head moved closer. “Now would you please get down so Taekwoon can get off,” he encouraged, pushing at the nose in amusement.

Hero huffed again and shook just a bit, wings flexing in the confined space before he pulled them against his body. Content, he wrapped his tail around his front legs and sat, creating a slide for Taekwoon to slip down.

“Whoa!” he yelped, not expecting the shift that removed him without warning.

“You are in a mood today,” Yunho chided, shaking his head at his dragon. “Apologies, Taekwoon,” he spoke, focusing his attention on the trainee. “You’ve got your gear, right?” he asked, nodding at the pack on Taekwoon’s back.

“Yes,” Taekwoon nodded, reaching back to check just to be sure. The bag held his climbing hooks, climbing spines and spurs, climbing rope, and the vial of Bahamut’s Blood Aerie Master Satoru had reverently given him yesterday afternoon.

“Then Bahamut bless your Trial, trainee. And may we both be dragonriders when next we meet,” Captain Yunho saluted, giving an encouraging nod to the younger man.

“Thank you, sir,” Taekwoon bowed in response, trying to swallow his nerves. In awe, he watched as Hero stood back up and padded in a small circle once. Then he lowered himself close to the ground and sprang up at least ten feet into the air, wings snapping open to flap awkwardly against the trees. The tips bowed under the downbeat and he gained enough height to get a better stroke the second time around. Flapping up quickly, the silver dragon quickly put distance between them, his hide almost glowing in the morning sun. “Beautiful,” Taekwoon smiled, watching as long as he could before he turned his attention to his surroundings.

Taking a calming breath, he let sharp eyes scan the ground and then the space above. His eyes flitted from tree to tree, peering into the shadowy spaces as if he could make something appear by force of will alone. But nothing that he was looking for moved, only birds and small forest animals that felt themselves safe now that Hero was gone. Taekwoon nodded to himself and closed his eyes, using the same ‘technique’ as earlier to choose a direction. When his path felt right, he stopped shifting and opened his eyes, pressing forward without questioning himself. Either he was going to be right or he wasn’t. It was as simple as that.

And by Bahamut, he was determined to be right. As he walked, he settled his dragon gear in place, securing the belt and pouch at his waist before adding in the climbing hooks. He paused long enough to make sure the rope was easily accessible and that he could reach his climbing spines quickly if need be. He didn’t want to risk getting them full of debris now and not working when he did find his dragon.

The morning started to grow hot as the sun rose and still there were no tracks of a dragon. Doubt niggled at the back of his mind but he pushed it away with fierce determination. He was so focused on actually finding something that he very nearly missed his first clue: dragon scent. Stalling suddenly, Taekwoon inhaled slowly, turning his head in either direction as he tried to figure out where it was coming from. He strained his ears to listen for some sign and then slowly started moving in the direction he thought the smell might be coming from. Trekking through some low bushes, he grinned in delight as he finally came upon dragon tracks.

The trainee took a knee next to the nearest one, measuring it with his hand. A bit small. Probably a third or fourth tier dragon or a youngling. It was too early to tell just yet. Moving alongside the tracks, he realized that they moved in both directions. This was a path the dragon used from time to time. Game trail most likely, by the looks of it. Some tracks appeared quite old and others fairly new. Taekwoon chirped thoughtfully when he realized there was a second set of tracks present too. They were noticeably larger, but only moving in one direction. The small one’s parent? Possible. Even if it wasn’t, the footprint size indicated it was probably a first or second tier dragon.

Taekwoon grew pensive for a moment. Which one to set his sights on? He told Jinki he actually wanted a second tier dragon, but the smaller one seemed to actually frequent this area and it would likely be easier to catch. Or at the very least, he’d have a higher chance of success. As much as he wanted the larger dragon, the safer bet decided him, for Jinki’s sake if nothing else.

“Okay,” he whispered, accepting his decision as gracefully as he could. If the smaller one traveled this way fairly often, as the tracks indicated, he should be able to wait for it to come passing by. If he was truly lucky, maybe the large one would show up first, but that was a hope for another time. Quickly, he searched the trees for a good climbing one that would offer a nice vantage and sufficient cover.

He walked along the path for a few more paces before he decided. Pausing to slip on his climbing spines and pull out his hooks, Taekwoon scaled the tree with relative ease. It was much easier than any challenges Seunghyun put him through back at the Aerie. Getting to a secure vantage, Taekwoon settled his climbing gear once more and then wedged himself in to wait.

Time seemed to move very slowly as he waited. Forest insects pestered him intermittently, buzzing in his ears and darting about his eyes, but he was mildly grateful for them. They helped keep him from growing sleepy. The sounds of the forest made a soothing lullaby of birdsong and insect calls otherwise. But that was also his biggest warning sign.

Taekwoon inhaled sharply when the forest fell deathly still. He tilted his head from side to side, searching. Rustling relatively nearby made him turn to see the trees along the trail shaking slightly. He heard the sound of quiet breathing and muted footsteps as large feet treaded on debris covered ground. Peering carefully through the branches, he caught sight of a blue dragon padding his way. His lips pulled up into a quiet smile as he watched, but then frowned slightly as the dragon slowed when it got closer.

The head lowered close to the ground and it sniffed loudly. Taekwoon’s stomach lurched. It could probably smell him too… He held very still as the dragon crept forward, head swinging from side to side curiously. Very carefully, Taekwoon let the cover slide back into place as he tried very much to become a part of the tree. Ears sharpened to every sound, he listened as the dragon stopped, the sniffing sound getting louder as it apparently looked up the tree. The tree shook briefly as the dragon apparently pushed it and it took Taekwoon everything he had not to react.

A weak branch fell from the canopy though and a bird fled, making the dragon hiss in surprise. Thankfully, it didn’t try again. The trainee waited to hear what would happen next, but when the dragon didn’t seem to move on, he frowned curiously. It was making a different sound that he knew he should recognize. Risking breaking his cover, Taekwoon peered through the canopy again and smiled.

The dragon had settled below him, beautiful and unsuspecting. Two gently arched horns hovered just above the back of his spine, dark brown spires at odds with the deep blue of his hide. Dust covered the smooth flesh like a mist and already, Taekwoon itched to wash it clean. But there was no time for thoughts like that. He had to make the dragon his first. Taking a deep breath, he watched the head swing back around to start chewing on something between its claws. Now was probably the best chance he’d have of getting close. Taekwoon’s fingers flexed and his belly clenched in excited anticipation.

He started a mental countdown and began to lean forward. One hand brushed against the hooked rope at his belt, grabbing it loosely. His other pushed away from the tree trunk and he kicked off the branch with his feet, entering a quiet freefall. The rope whistled in the air, a whisper of sound that was just enough to catch the dragon’s attention. Large eyes swiveled to see what was making the sound and the dragon started with an abrupt cry.

Taekwoon loosed the hook with a silent prayer, grateful as it snared one of the horns as he hoped. Wings partially flared, the dragon lurched away, trying to escape the unexpected attack. Its momentum pulled Taekwoon along swiftly, as he expected. Braced for the shift, it still made him gasp. He grit his teeth and followed the rope, winding up the slack just before he hit the dragon’s back. Rough shoes caught on the smooth scales but he had too much forward motion to stop entirely.

“Ugh!” Taekwoon groaned, his body careening forward to slam into the dragon’s. It was a struggle to hold onto the rope and keep his bearings but letting go was equally unacceptable. Especially since his target was still moving, galloping down the trail. It sent the trainee’s body swaying against the hide in an awkward roll. The head swung to the right and then to the left, pulling Taekwoon along wantonly. He hissed at the strain in his arms and fought to start crawling his way up. One hard earned hand-length at a time, Taekwoon dragged himself to just under the dragon’s horns, anchoring himself in place with the rope to give himself a breather.

“Easy, dragon,” he soothed, finally at a place where he could speak. His words fell upon deaf ears as the dragon clawed at him awkwardly. The talons were easy enough to avoid though, catching on horns or scratching lightly against its own neck. Keeping a watchful eye on them, Taekwoon shook his hands out and prepared himself for the next part. He was grateful the first step had been as easy as it was, all things considered, but next would be the moment of truth. “Hey!” he yelped when an errant claw nearly snagged him from his thoughts. Taekwoon jerked his leg up, glaring at the talon tip that had brushed against him.

Having no luck, the dragon keened and ducked his head down, sending Taekwoon shunting hard against the horns. His world turned upside down when the dragon actually rolled, and his stomach lurched at the unexpected sensation. N had never done such a thing in their practice bouts. His vision tilted again when the dragon’s head swung low to the ground, a hair’s breadth from actually hitting the surface. Taekwoon nearly jumped out of his skin when the dragon hit a tree next, splintering the wood and raining debris on him. The impact almost worked to knock him off, too. His only saving grace was the rope tying him in place.

“Ack!” he hissed, losing his breath as the rope dug into his stomach. Biting his lip, he groaned and snagged the horns with both hands, bracing his lower body with his feet on either side of the neck. Wily thing. He was both frustrated with and proud of the dragon already. “Come on now,” he murmured, voice catching from the strain.

He sensed a lull as much as felt the tension in the neck starting to ease. Now. It was now or never. Freeing one hand, he grabbed for the vial in the pouch at his waist. It came free easily, the cap coming off with a flick of his thumb. In a heartbeat, he tipped the silver liquid down his throat and prepared to move, the words of binding and Trance already on his tongue.

One foot was on the dragon’s neck and Taekwoon was already moving from his safe vantage, one hand curled around a horn and the other reaching for the top of the dragon’s face, when the hair on his arms rose. He inhaled sharply as he caught movement in the corner of his eye. “Shards!” he cursed, panic welling while a larger dragon dove towards them, angry fire in its amber eyes.

With no time to think about it, Taekwoon let the rope loose and plummeted towards the end of the line. He saw a larger set of talons and teeth curving for him, but gravity was his savior, hauling him just out of reach. The new copper dragon sailed by and bowled into the smaller one, taking Taekwoon along for the ride. He couldn’t let go of the rope. Being on the ground with two angry dragons meant almost certain death. Better to take his chances with them tying each other up. He hoped. Maybe they’d start fighting each other if he was lucky…

Angry snarls thrummed through him as Taekwoon hit the blue dragon’s body again. Flailing wings nearly pummeled him and he had to duck under a waving claw. Hunching close to the blue’s body, he pulled his climbing hook free from his belt and snagged the rough hide. His target yelped and he could almost feel the ire of the copper one. It was frighteningly strong and he didn’t quite understand why yet. “Come on!” Taekwoon urged, forcing himself to half-run, half-climb up the body until he was just under the wing of the smaller blue.

It flapped furiously, trying to dislodge him, but the soft membrane only caused the trainee mild discomfort. And it bought him a brief moment of respite to get a look at the other dragon. Anchored firmly in place, he knew he was playing a little dirty – dragons were highly protective and cautious of their wings – but he needed the advantage just then. His new opponent glared at him like death, magnificent copper wings mantling as it hissed menacingly.

“New plan,” he exhaled, every nerve alive and tense. “You’re going to be my dragon,” he promised softly, breathing hard. He still wanted the littler one, but preservation instincts demanded he focus on the larger threat.

The copper dragon paid him no mind and simply stalked closer. It hissed at the blue dragon, some sort of communication, and Taekwoon felt his belly clench. They were planning something. He had no time to guess before the ground suddenly moved away from him. No. The blue dragon was moving from the ground, flying…

“Shards!” he gasped again, wincing as discomfort turned to pain and intense muscle strain. Wind pulled at him just as much as gravity and the blue wings buffeted him mercilessly. A glance down showed they were moving higher than he’d been before and the distance was dizzying. Taekwoon’s head spun and that was _before_ the dragon started rolling in the air. “Yah!” he yelled, feeling his arms shaking as fatigue began to set in.

His stomach floated into his throat when the blue dragon stopped and stalled in the air. For just a moment they hung motionless before the blue’s head dipped down and they began a nosedive. Wings pulled up high, completely revealing Taekwoon to the open air. It was almost a relief except he noticed the large copper dragon angling close, palm length teeth gleaming in the sun.

Not good.

The ground was nowhere near close enough to make them pull up and it looked like the copper dragon was going to bite him off in midair. Literally. Cringing preemptively, Taekwoon finally released the rope altogether, relying on the single climbing claw to hold him in place. He could see the skin was starting to tear where it was secured in the dragon and he winced. The second hook came free from his belt and he turned to stare at his oncoming death.

“Come on. Come on,” he panted, loosening his pouch with a quiet prayer to Bahamut. “Please let this work.” Less than a horse-length. He could see every detail of the copper’s nose, teeth, eyes... Knowing this would be his salvation or death, Taekwoon freed the pouch and tossed it at the dragon. Reactively, it snapped at the accessory, and Taekwoon threw himself at the side of the dragon’s head. He soared just past the teeth but the hit the skull with full force when the dragon swung back to try and bite him.

Breath fled from his lungs and his arms tingled with the threat of numbness. His left shoulder felt like it was almost out of socket and his forearm was turning to lead, but he still held the climbing hook. The same hook that was now lodged in the corner of the copper dragon’s mouth. It banked up to try and lose him but then curved back, following the pull on its mouth with a pained shriek. That was the only reason Taekwoon was able to dig the other climbing hook into the space under the horns, sobbing in pained exhaustion as he did so.

His legs dangled in the empty air and his body sagged between failing arms and hands. It would only take a single claw swipe to yank him loose, but Taekwoon was finally able to see eye to eye with the great beast. They were still in the air and the blue dragon was not that far away, but he was out of options. He was damned if he did nothing and damned if he started the Trance. Either way, action was better than inaction and all he had left was chance.

Tasting the remnants of the binding liquid on his tongue, Taekwoon stared into the amber eye immediately in front of his face and whispered, “I am yours and you are mine.”

Like he’d practiced once before, he started falling. Unlike falling with the dragon, there was no wind or gravity here. Only a drab grayness everywhere. It was more akin to drifting through fog, much like he’d experienced in the Aerie, but undeniably different. His peril felt more real here. The higher stakes pressed in on him, making it harder to breathe. And yet none of the fear mattered as he finally touched down, a surface appearing under his feet like it had been willed there. Maybe it had…

Taekwoon took a shuddering breath and looked ahead, seeing a form beginning to materialize across from him. Relief sang in his soul. The dragon had come too. He had not been too late. A smile tugged at his mouth, but it fled quickly, the excitement tempered with the concern of what was happening beyond. Time did not stand still beyond this space, though it felt like it should. Inherently, he knew they were still falling. Would probably die from crashing into the ground. But in this space, in this moment, it was only them… and Taekwoon reached one hand as if to beckon the dragon closer.

Anger in burning amber eyes made him pause. The dragon, now in a bare human form – like Taekwoon, offered no truce. His scowl was just as intimidating in this guise, animal eyes under a fall of ebony hair. Slightly full cheeks looked wholly out of place above the firm chin and chiseled figure below. Fingers crooked into claws, as if they could become talons at his command. “You!” he snarled, the draconic sound startling coming from a human mouth.

"You..." Taekwoon echoed breathily, his voice low and trembling. In this space, his body did not ache as it had beyond, but he felt a powerful yearning in his heart. It pulsed through him and made his blood sing. He couldn't fail here. He had to succeed.

The dragon felt otherwise. With a garbled roar, the other man threw himself at Taekwoon, all ungainly fury. Just as quickly, Taekwoon side-stepped, brow furrowing at how easily he avoided the dragon. "Gyah!" the dragon tried again, lurching around like an uncoordinated child. He launched off the ground, all animal intelligence and instinct.

Airborne, he was easier to avoid and Taekwoon's heart clinched. This was no fair contest of wills. The other dragon he'd sparred with had power and grace, reaction speed and technique, strategy and... experience. His realization was like a gut punch, briefly distracting him. The feeling became all too real when the dragon managed to jump into him, shoulder digging into his stomach painfully. Momentum dragged them both to the ground and frantic fingers scrabbled at his bare flesh.

Yelping in surprised pain, Taekwoon slid and used the last of their motion to roll out from under the dragon. Kicking his feet up and the dragon with them, he stunned the humanoid creature as he rolled backwards over his shoulder. Head tucked against his chest defensively, he pushed firmly on broad shoulders, pinning the dragon's back to the ground. His knees braced the dragon's legs, hobbling his movement. "Easy!" Taekwoon tried to soothe, fighting against the raw strength of the dragon. He caught flailing wrists and pinned one to the ground, holding the other firm against his body.

"Let go!" the dragon howled, body bucking with savage intensity.

"You are mine and I am yours," Taekwoon murmured, leaning close as he tried to hold eye contact.

"No!" Amber eyes glared and jerked away, the head snapping forward so he could bite at his captor's hold.

Taekwoon hissed and yanked his arm away, loosing the nearest hand by accident. His throat constricted when powerful fingers wrapped around it, squeezing tight. "Easy!" he choked, prying the hand away and leveraging it down on the other side dragon's head. Fire burned against the skin of his throat and he knew the dragon had marked him.

"I will _not_ be yours!" the dragon denied, spasming once more.

"Yes, you will," the would-be dragonrider promised him softly, hovering over the restrained figure.

"My mate is mine and I am his!" he spat, body heaving again. Corded muscles bunched under tense skin and it was a struggle to keep holding the dragon down.

"Mate?" Taekwoon blinked, taken aback. It was almost enough to catch him off guard again.

"Yes!" the dragon panted, finally stopping his struggles to let his head loll back, hair partially covering his sweaty face.

Briefly unsettled, Taekwoon had to pause in his thinking. No one had prepared him for this possibility. Perhaps that was part of the test itself, but it left him in a tough spot indeed. He couldn't very well not bind the dragon. Unbound, he would surely kill Taekwoon the moment they broke Trance. But bound... how would that affect his mate? And how had Taekwoon missed it?

"I can't," the dragon panted again, his stamina apparently wearing out.

It might have been a ruse, but Taekwoon didn't think so. He was just trying to decide what he could do when the space within shifted. Pain and tension and fear thrummed through the air. Taekwoon's hair stood on end and he inhaled, wide eyes peering around.

The dragon beneath him tensed again, as if he sensed something the human couldn't. "Jongup?" he whispered, torso heaving in concern.

"Jong... hyun...!" a tortured shriek echoed through the space.

Taekwoon couldn't help but cover his ears, the pain blinding. It was all the opening the dragon needed. His captive lurched upright and slammed Taekwoon in the chest, sending him rolling backwards. Disoriented and still hurting, he flailed to try and roll out of it again, ready to defend himself. But the dragon was not running after him. He was running away. No... towards the sound of the voice.

"Jonghyun!" the voice howled again, agony vibrating in the tone.

Confused, the dragonrider got up and stumbled after the dragon. "What in Bahamut's name is that...?" he whispered, horrified by the noise.

"Jongup!" the first dragon shouted, winding this way and that as he searched.

Taekwoon managed a straighter line, but only so that he could keep up and yet stay out of reach. Once more, he heard the ear piercing cry and then saw the dragon sprint towards something. For a few heartbeats, the dragon's body obscured whatever it was, but then Taekwoon saw it. And he stopped, horrified revulsion welling in his throat.

"Jongup!" the dragon panicked, arms reaching to hold the misshapen thing crumpled on the ground. Blue skin mixed with tan flesh; half-formed wings curled from its back; a terrifying blended face of dragon maw and human visage looked up at the newcomers.

It was like something from a nightmare and yet Taekwoon knew without a doubt that this thing... this Jongup was the dragon's mate. Jonghyun's mate. "Oh Bahamut," he gasped, hand rising to his mouth in uncertain fear.

"What did you do?!" Jonghyun snarled, arms holding the other dragon close, protective and furious at the same time.

"Nothing!" Taekwoon responded in a knee jerk reaction.

"Jonghyun... help..." the other dragon groaned piteously, the sound strange and terrible, wheezing from the distorted mouth.

"Do something!" Jonghyun commanded, looking from his mate and back to the human.

"I can't! I don't know what to do!" he shouted back, at a loss.

Jongup keened, body convulsing as something seemed to twist him up even more. "Ma- gic...!" he gasped, choking on the word.

"Jongup!" his mate cried, whimpering in the face of his powerlessness.

The other dragon's final word sank into Taekwoon and he thought he understood in that moment what had likely happened. Magic. Bahamut's Blood. The spell of Binding and Trance. He could only guess that Jongup had gotten close enough to enter the sphere of magic and had been pulled in. Or come voluntarily, searching for his mate. But as an outside force with no control over the realm, it was exercising control over him, taking the dragon form and trying to force it into a human guise, like Taekwoon and Jonghyun wore.

But either he was fighting it or there wasn't enough magic left to finish the transition. For lack of any other explanation, it looked as if the dragon was dying. "No," he whispered, the word drowned out by Jonghyun's howl of denial. He let the sound vibrate through him, let himself feel the pain in Jongup's gasping breaths, clung to the heaviness in his heart, and swallowed his guilt and fear.

"Dear one," Jonghyun whimpered, too human hands ghosting over the malformed creature's face.

"No," Taekwoon whispered again, tears spilling from the corner of his eyes. His heart hurt - for the dragons, for himself, for Jinki... But he could not allow this. Walking close, he knelt next to the dragons. Jonghyun's head turned and he glared at him, the gaze cutting. But it did not last. Maybe he saw what Taekwoon intended. Maybe he realized the man was no threat. Or maybe it was nothing at all, but the anger melted away and his face softened into something truly beautiful, "I'm sorry," he whispered, reaching his hand slowly towards Jonghyun's face. The dragon let him cradle his cheek, hopeful and concerned at the same time. "I release you from my power," Taekwoon murmured, holding eye contact with the mesmerizing amber eyes.

Jonghyun blinked and his form shuddered. The gray mist turned swiftly to storms as everything went dark. The sound of bones crunching echoed in the blackness, loud over the sound of the rising wind. A curtain of rain swarmed in, drenching the area in a heartbeat. Lightning flashed and Taekwoon saw huge wings flare out, copper color more akin to blood in the dying light. The following roar sent him crashing to his knees, head cradled in his hands once more.

Terrified, his heart still soared when he heard an answering roar. Different. Softer. No longer in pain. At least the other dragon would be alright after all. Relief plummeted in the next breath. "You..." a familiar, deep voice growled, hovering in the space before him.

In the next flash of lightning, Taekwoon looked up into the face of the copper dragon. "Forgive me, Jinki," he cried, closing his eyes as the tears fell again.

Darkness consumed his vision and he screamed when something knocked him to the ground. Heavy. The weight on his chest pressed down, threatening to crush him. "You are mine!" Jonghyun snarled.

Taekwoon cried out as he thought he felt something inside break. True darkness reached up to swallow him, pulling him away from the pain and the fear and the dragons. Away from Jinki... away from everything...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And of course the final trial couldn't go smoothly. XD There had to be some kind of hiccup, though how it will fall out will be resolved in due time. Meanwhile, I hope you enjoyed this update and let me know if you have any questions or concerns. Personally, I really enjoyed writing the action and the fight sequences, but they tend to be a favorite of mine. haha Thank you!


	10. The Challenge

All morning, Jinki was on pins and needles as he waited at the Aerie for news of Taekwoon’s return. He couldn’t focus so Satoru let him off the hook for the day, but that didn’t help him not think about all the things that could go wrong, or right, while his other half was off trying to tame a dragon. Not for the first time, he rather wished that Taekwoon was right and that they were able to raise them from the egg. None of this would be necessary then and he wouldn’t be in the position he was now.

He flitted from one distraction to the next, desperately trying to keep his mind off the time and how it seemed to be dragging on longer than it should have. Junjin shooed him out of the kitchens when nerves gave him shaky hands and he kept dropping the dishes he was trying to clean. Jolin didn’t even give him a chance to ruin whatever needed transcribing and she sent him off with a glare that would have scared him if he wasn’t already preoccupied.

Captain Yunho was gone to oversee Taekwoon’s trial; Bom and her dragon were out on patrol; Amber had been spending more time in Master Kibum’s company of late and was nowhere around; Wonshik was busy under Master Seunghyun’s critical eye; and even the messengers like Sanghyuk and Joy were particularly unavailable. Everything else in the Aerie continued on as normal, but for Jinki, the world had effectively stopped, like it was holding its breath. He didn’t know when it would resume either.

Somewhat perversely, he eventually found himself hovering near Jongin and Krystal, both of whom had made remarkable recoveries, all things considered. Both unwanted – the disgraced son of a minor noble and a riderless dragon, cursed or blessed with Tiamat’s color – they suited each other as if they were always meant to be a pair. While they didn’t have a normal function in the Aerie – they weren’t allowed to join the Stardust Battalion – they were often asked to deliver messages to Miremaw or nearby cities and villages. Krystal in particular was also asked to help with heavier tasks around the Aerie while Jongin oversaw from afar.

The broken rider was the one to notice Jinki hovering at the edge of their space and wave him over with an understanding smile, full lips curving perfectly. He brushed feathery brown hair out of his equally brown eyes and commented, “You look a little lost today, Jinki.” Krystal seemed to snort in agreement and Jongin patted her neck fondly.

“You could say that,” Jinki agreed with a wan smile, staring at the black dragon for just a moment. Like all blacks, she was small, relatively speaking. Only the size of a couple horses put together really. And she still had very noticeable scars along her body and a puckered seam on one wing where Hyesung had managed to stitch it back together so she’d be able to fly again.

“I almost envy him, you know,” Jongin chuckled, reaching down to massage his stiff leg with firm fingers. When Jinki looked at him curiously, he clarified, “Taekwoon. It would have been nice to have someone to come back to when I finished my Trial.”

“Even with how your Trial went?” Jinki couldn’t help but ask, almost regretting the words as soon as they left his mouth.

“Especially with how it went,” the rider confirmed, scratching Krystal’s neck distractedly. His tone could have been bitter. It wasn’t. He spoke the truth and nothing more or less. His dragon bent her neck and bumped her nose against his chest, asking for more attention. Jongin obliged with nose and head scratches, making her croon softly in contentment. “My family didn’t want me back and no one wanted her,” he added, mouth quirked to the side, thoughtful and thankful at the same time. “Guess it was kind of a good thing because I think we wanted each other instead.”

Jinki smiled at the exchange, glad the pair had settled in and that things really had worked out in the end. “I’m happy for you Jongin. You too, Krystal,” he added after a moment’s delay, remembering the dragon could understand him and it would be rude not to include her.

“Thanks,” the rider murmured appreciatively, turning his full attention back to Jinki. They both glanced up when a patrolling dragon flew overhead – red so maybe N and Jiho – and then back at each other. “Try not to think about it too much. Taekwoon’s good. I’m sure he’ll be fine,” Jongin promised, trying to offer reassurance.

It was thin and not exactly encouraging but coming from Jongin, who had come out the other side better than anyone could have expected, it did help at least a little bit. Jinki nodded and then inhaled sharply as Krystal swung her head around to nose at him. “What?” he asked, slightly alarmed.

“She wants you to scratch her,” Jongin chuckled, amused more than anything.

“How can you tell?” he called back, flinching just a bit when she made tiny chopping noises with her mouth.

“Just trust me,” the rider laughed, waving at the other man dismissively.

Krystal was a small dragon and nowhere near Hero’s size, or even N for that matter, but she still made Jinki a bit nervous. Even after all the years that Taekwoon had tried to help him overcome that nervousness, a tiny part had stubbornly remained. But with Jongin right there and she herself appearing so… agreeable and willing, he dared to listen. One hand rose and rested lightly against the top of her nose. The dragon bumped her head up and he blinked in surprise, jerking his hand away.

“It’s alright,” Jongin soothed, still amused.

When the dragon stilled once more, Jinki tried again. This time, his hand stayed on her nose and she moved her head more gently. The motion encouraged him to run his palm up and down her nose, reaching the flat space on her forehead where he naturally curled his fingers to scratch. “Oh?” Jinki chuckled when she seemed to sigh.

“That tends to be a sweet spot,” Jongin chuckled with a knowing grin. “It’s hard for them to reach that particular spot safely so they usually ask for head scratches.”

“I see,” Jinki laughed, indulging the dragon a bit longer before he exchanged a couple more words with Jongin and then departed to search for food. And another distraction.

The afternoon meal came and went, though Jinki had no idea what he’d eaten. He could hardly remember that Jimin and Himchan and Joy had tried – and failed – to grab his attention. All his focus had been on the entryway where he was determined that Taekwoon would come through any moment now. Only… he didn’t. The ball of worry in his gut that he’d been able to ignore all morning became much more noticeable.

He knew he hadn’t missed any dragons returning. And even if he had, it was a fact that someone would have come to retrieve him. One way or another. Biting his lip, he jogged out to the overlook above Miremaw and peered into the empty and open sky. The sun was bright and hot and there wasn’t a cloud in sight, but that also meant he couldn’t possibly miss seeing a flying dragon. Especially not a silver one as of course Yunho and Hero would be with Taekwoon when he returned.

“Jinki.”

He almost literally jumped in place as the sound of his name caught him completely by surprise. “Yah!” he yelped instead whirling around to see who had come upon him. “Sa- Aerie Master Satoru?” Jinki exhaled quickly, trying to force himself to be calm. Outwardly, he achieved a semblance of peace though his heart still hammered painfully against his ribs.

Satoru gave him a slightly amused smile and shook his head. His hands were tucked into his sleeves and he looked over Jinki’s shoulder, eyes scanning the horizon. “Waiting is often the hardest part,” he spoke after a moment, dark brown eyes shifting back to the younger man, a world of understanding in his gaze.

Jinki nibbled on his bottom lip this time, not sure what he was supposed to say in response. “Was there something you needed, sir?” he wondered instead, glancing back over his shoulder one more time.

Another smile followed that question and Satoru laughed once. “No, but I thought I might offer you some tea,” he spoke, inclining his head politely.

“Oh,” he exhaled, looking past Satoru and to the Sanctum Tower. “Tea sounds nice, sir,’ he accepted hesitantly. It was actually the last thing he wanted, since it would take him indoors, but when the Aerie Master offered, you didn’t usually decline without good reason. He didn’t have one.

“Come along then,” Satoru gestured, one hand escaping from his sleeves to gesture for the younger man to follow.

As usual, when Satoru walked, it was more like he glided. Jinki on the other hand, was lucky if he didn’t manage to trip over dirt. Apparently luck was on his side this day though and he followed the Aerie Master indoors without any troubles. While the Sanctums were up several flights of stairs, reachable from the outside, Satoru’s main office was on the ground floor and easily accessible by all people.

When Satoru ducked into his office, Jinki paused to peer at the murals painted on the walls in the waiting area. They were always fascinating, especially because they harbored both Bahamut’s and Tiamat’s images, in harsh juxtaposition. These murals told the tale of their battle and how Bahamut had risen up to challenge and then quell Tiamat’s quest for destruction. In the end, Bahamut had won and banished Tiamat, sealing her in a mountain to keep her from rising again. His task complete, Bahamut had retreated to the heavens to slumber, taking a well earned rest as man recovered. The final mural showed how the Dragon Priests were left to carry on his message and watch over the world, spreading the Dragon God’s teachings and warning those from following Tiamat’s teachings.

Wandering close, Jinki raised his hand as if to touch the mural of Tiamat and Bahamut in combat. He’d long accepted that they had been opposite forces, destined to fight each other, but he had to wonder if Taekwoon’s musings had any truth to them. His other half held the far-fetched thought that maybe Tiamat was not the evil, destructive being everyone believed her to be. Granted, he held no love for her – Bahamut’s teachings were strong in him – but he wondered.

_‘I have heard of many evil men but I have yet to see an evil dragon.’_

It was certainly an interesting thought. Crazy but interesting. Taking a small breath, Jinki lowered his hand and started to turn away before something else caught his eye. Leaning close, he noticed a small crack in the surface of the mural, just under Bahamut’s feet as he was rearing up. “Hmm?” Jinki hummed, fingertips ghosting against the painted stone. A tiny piece flaked away and he thought he saw old paint beneath it.

He was about to brush at it again but then Satoru called to him. “Jinki? Are you alright?”

Jinki gasped and stood upright, nodding automatically as he hid his hands behind his back. Strangely, he felt like a child who’d been found with his fingers in the festival pie. “Yes, sir,” he assured the older man, stepping forward quickly. He could have asked Satoru about what he thought he’d seen, but something felt wrong in that, so he held his tongue.

The Aerie Master shepherded him into the office where a pot of tea was steeping. “I often find myself entranced by the murals in the waiting room as well,” he admitted, taking a seat on the small sofa gracefully as he gestured for Jinki to take the cushioned chair across from him. “In here, I can almost forget about Bahamut and Tiamat,” he chuckled, the sound slightly sad to Jinki’s ears.

As the unspoken words suggested, Jinki looked around the room, diverting his curious eyes from Satoru. Within this space, there was hardly a scale or talon of anything resembling the two dragon gods. Maps of the two main islands and the numerous smaller ones around them, as well as portraits of former Aerie Masters, covered the walls. A large bookshelf full of tomes took over one corner of the room and any other empty space was subject to be filled with statues of armor or gifts from nobles in other cities. There was a door next to the bookshelf that Jinki was pretty sure led to Satoru’s bedroom, but he pulled his attention away and back to the tea that was ready to be poured.

With the ease of years of practice, Satoru poured two cups of tea in silence and then handed the silver dragon etched cup to him on a blue glazed saucer. “Thank you,” Jinki murmured, accepting the cup solemnly.

“My pleasure,” the Aerie Master murmured, bringing his own cup – gold dragon etched and red saucer instead – close to inhale deeply.

Jinki followed his example and then took a tiny sip, sighing in delight at the slightly bitter but floral taste. He must have imported it from Bondsland as Kinshire didn’t grow anything like this here. At least not that he knew of. “I needed this,” he breathed quietly, his body relaxing as he savored the soothing liquid.

“I know,” Satoru smiled over the rim of his cup. “You are certainly a good match for Taekwoon but you are so very quick to worry sometimes,” he chided in bittersweet amusement. “It’s not always healthy.”

Tension returned quickly, but not as strong as it could have. “I have reason to worry,” he defended himself, setting the teacup down gently as he peered at the Aerie Master.

For a moment, Satoru simply nodded, whispering quietly, “We all do.” Jinki frowned, wondering what he meant. He wanted to say something but was suddenly more concerned by his vision going a bit fuzzy for a moment. “Then again,” Satoru went on as if nothing was wrong, “you do have more reason than most.” Deftly, he finished his tea and reached out quick hands to catch the saucer and cup in Jinki’s collecting them easily from numbing fingers.

“What…?” Jinki mumbled in confusion, looking at his hands and feeling as if they weren’t a part of him anymore.

“Shh,” Satoru soothed, cradling Jinki’s head and pushing him gently back in the chair. “Knowing you, you’ll make yourself sick while waiting for Taekwoon to return.”

“But…”

“At least this way, you _and_ the Aerie can have peace,” he laughed with a sad smile, brushing at smooth brown hair in a tender, caring gesture.

Jinki’s eyes were heavy and the room was starting to spin. It was an effort to keep them open and all he could feel was annoyed and a little angry that Satoru had drugged him… His vision was just starting to go gray when he heard a knock on the door. It was enough to let him cling to consciousness just a bit longer, though his eyes mostly closed of their own volition.

“Satoru,” a familiar voice greeted, footsteps entering and then pausing quickly.

“Eric,” the Aerie Master responded. “Has there been any word?” he wondered aloud, the sound drifting to Jinki and making him focus his hearing for the answer.

“Not yet,” the High Dragon Commander answered. His tone shifted though and he chided, “Satoru…”

“He’ll be fine,” he promised, cloth rustling as someone moved. “Best for him to sleep now anyway,” he spoke, the sound starting to drift away from Jinki despite his best efforts. “Now. We must speak of the Dragon High Priest’s visit,” the Aerie Master murmured, and even though he was drugged and nearly unconscious, Jinki could almost feel the _dislike_ that was carried in the words.

‘That’s strange… Everybody loves the Dragon High Priest,’ was Jinki’s final thought before he drifted into sleep.

If he dreamt, he did not remember them. Jinki only became aware very suddenly when a sharp, pungent smell hit his nose. “Oh!” he coughed, sitting upright quickly and blinking around in confused wakefulness.

“Jinki,” Satoru murmured, leaning over him with a tense face. Memory sparked and Jinki remembered the Aerie Master had drugged him. He opened his mouth to say something, but Satoru beat him to it. “He’s coming.”

All the air left his lungs as Jinki’s heart leapt into his throat. “Taekwoon,” he gasped, lurching out of the chair as if he was possessed. His body stalled for a heartbeat, trying to keep up with his thoughts. He started to fall before Satoru caught him, steadying him enough to gain his footing.

“Easy,” he soothed, supporting him enough to move in the appropriate direction at least.

“Is he alright?” Jinki asked, regaining control enough to walk on his own, albeit slower than he wanted. Satoru’s silence wasn’t encouraging. “Is he alive?” Again, silence. It forced him to move faster, stumbling out of the office and into the waiting room before lurching through the main doors and into darkness. “Night?” he blinked in confusion, briefly stunned before he honed in on the commotion near the overlook.

Moonlight gave him enough illumination to see dragons forming a large, loose ring around something. Or someone. Human voices tried to speak calming words but dragon sounds drowned them out. Two silver beasts flickered between the other dragons, catching Jinki’s attention even more. They had to be Hero and Minwoo, and it looked like they were prowling around something.

None of it made any sense and everyone was already so focused on what was happening that Jinki was able to slip by the nearest dragons, a bronze and a red, before stumbling into the ring. “Jinki!” a voice hissed before strong arms grabbed him and yanked him aside.

Confused and alarmed, he craned his head to see that it was the Dragon Captain holding him. “Yunho?” he wondered, dropping the honorific.

“It’s not safe,” the Captain frowned, staring back towards the… dragons that Hero and Minwoo were circling.

“Why…?” he started to ask before a low growl made his stomach clench, the sound striking a chord inside.

Hero and Minwoo suddenly stopped, digging in as their wings mantled, hissing a warning while they placed themselves between the dragon within and Yunho and Jinki. All around the circle, the dragons of the Stardust Battalion emitted a low growl, filling the air with vibrations.

Between the two silver dragons, Jinki could finally see him. The copper dragon with unblinking amber eyes, crouched down low, wary and defensive. Those huge eyes were staring at him intently though, nostrils flaring. He took one small step forward and Hero and Minwoo snapped at him, making the dragon rear up and hiss, fangs baring viciously in his maw.

But that was when he saw them. Tucked under the copper’s body were a blue dragon and… “Taekwoon!” he gasped, fear and worry and the element of surprise making him fast and strong enough to slip from Yunho’s hold.

“Wait!” the Captain hissed, fingers clawing at Jinki uselessly.

One obstacle evaded, there was no getting around the silver dragon that turned to corner him while the other moved directly in front of the copper, challenging. Jinki stopped short, eyes wide in his face as golden eyes met his. Minwoo then. He was not happy. Every part of him wanted to pass out in that blinding moment of instinctual fear, but then Yunho caught up again and Dragon Master Dongwan appeared on the other side, both holding onto him.

“It’s too dangerous!” Yunho hissed.

“We don’t know what’s happening,” Dongwan admitted at the same time, their words tumbling over each other.

They all flinched when a challenging roar rent the air, followed shortly by another from Hero who was still facing off against the copper. Terror clawed at Jinki, but from what, he couldn’t say. Terror from the dragons. Terror from the uncertainty. Terror for Taekwoon. All of them… “But it’s Taekwoon,” he gasped, leaning forward and trying to see around both dragons despite the impossibility of it.

Tension rose like a hungry predator and it seemed as if Hero and the copper were going to come to blows, neither backing down. Twin roars cut through the air, drowning out all sound for several heartbeats and cowing the unsuspecting audience. “Stand down,” High Dragon Commander Eric commanded as he approached the circle, expression steely and calm. He was flanked by two gold dragons: Andy, his own, and Gain, the Paramour. Equal to the silvers and holding higher ranks, they carried greater power and so even Hero and Minwoo sank low and slinked aside, leaving a path between them.

On the defensive again, the copper was not cowed but he watched intently as the newest dragons approached. It only lasted a couple heartbeats before his amber eyes focused on Jinki again, a quiet growl emerging as if in challenge. Hero perked up and tried to growl back but a hiss from Gain silenced him immediately.

Jinki suddenly felt very alone when Yunho and Dongwan separated from him, giving way to High Dragon Commander Eric. The taller, older man clapped his hand on Jinki’s shoulder and rumbled, “We don’t know what’s happening, but it’s clear the dragon is waiting for you.”

A part of him had known that, recognized it from the moment he saw the creature. But he didn’t know why. Glancing under the large body, he realized it didn’t matter. Fear threatened to paralyze him and he just started moving before it could, before his head could catch up with what his body was going to do. With purpose, he walked through the silver dragons and approached the copper, staring at him all the while. His stomach was doing suicidal backflips by the time he stopped a horse length from the dragon.

It stared at him and he stared back, body trembling beyond his control, but eyes hard and determined. The dragon took a long sniff and exhaled, blasting him with hot, spicy breath that made it hard to breathe. Holding his breath, he waited for the warmth to pass and then balled his hands into fists as he challenged, “He is mine.”

Leaning in close, the copper moved his head until his nose brushed against the man’s shirt. Strangely mesmerized, Jinki stared into the nearest eye, feeling strange as he did so. He thought he heard someone call his name softly before all sight and sound disappeared. It felt as if he was falling or floating but everything was dark.

“Taekwoon?” he called out, reaching blindly. His feet connected with something and he stumbled forward, looking around for any sign of something.

“Here,” a new voice called. Soft but tense and unsure. Guarded. Judging.

Jinki followed the sound, though his legs trembled and he felt terribly exposed. Naked. Literally… Lightning flashed, blinding in its brilliance. The shadow of a large dragon appeared through the dark and Jinki stepped back involuntarily, body freezing. “Taekwoon,” he whispered this time, voice trembling.

“Here,” the voice called again, pulling Jinki’s attention to the barest hints of light in the dark.

It was a dim blob that turned into the shape of Taekwoon as he got close enough. “Taekwoon!” he gasped, sprinting towards him before skidding to a stop and falling backwards as a blue dragon head appeared out of the darkness, hissing at him softly. Frightened and frustrated and so achingly worried, Jinki flailed to his feet and repeated, “He is mine!” His body and voice and posture were all defiance, but inside he was quaking. He felt like he might fall apart if something so much as touched him.

“He is mine,” the voice from before challenged back, directly behind him.

Jinki gasped and whirled, turning to face a taller, more muscled man with dangerous amber eyes and a hard expression. Slowly, his mind started to pull the pieces together of what was likely going on. “This is Trance,” he whispered, breathing hard as he stared at the man. “And you’re the copper.”

“He is mine!” the man reiterated, leaning forward threateningly.

Everything inside Jinki quailed at the declaration, at the man dragon facing him. But just as quickly, defiance rose, beating past the fear. “No,” he denied simply staring into the inhuman eyes as if he could convince him by will alone.

“He tried to claim my mate. Tried to claim me,” he spat, anger making the larger body tense, hands balled into fists. “He failed.”

That was impossible. Jinki knew it couldn’t be true. Failing meant he would have died or been hurt or somehow not been able to return to him. His face fell into confusion as he looked back at Taekwoon’s body under the blue’s watch. “How? Why?!” he demanded, whirling around to face the copper again, not ready to believe it was that simple.

“Complicated,” the dragon answered eventually, looking away with a snarl.

It still didn’t make any sense and Jinki’s face showed it. Swallowing his denial, he raised his fist to the dragon’s face and shook it, pointing an accusatory finger at him instead. “If he failed, then how is this even possible?!”

“Complicated,” the copper stated again, his voice lower this time. “He is mine.” The words were even quieter, but it was a statement of truth and not a challenge. Still completely lost, Jinki jerked when the dragon looked at him again, eyes flashing. “I fought for my mate. Will you fight for yours?”

There was no doubt or hesitation. “Yes.” He wasn’t ready for the response. One moment, he was standing, looking at the dragon. The next, he was rolling over the ground with a blinding pain in his jaw and an aching head. “Ack!” he coughed, blinking hard as he tried to push himself to his feet.

The dragon advanced swiftly, a predator tracking his prey. Breathing hard, Jinki managed to get upright before he ducked the next punch, rolling backwards willingly. As he got to his feet again, the dragon was already on him once more. He tried to slide out of the way but the moving front kick launched him back, stealing the air from his lungs as he collapsed on the ground. Gasping and suffocating, he flailed for purchase, trying to remember anything about his training that would help him now. Nothing came and all he could feel was relief when he finally coughed, sucking in a lungful of air after.

It was short lived. A foot rammed into his side and stole it away again, leaving him curled around a nauseated abdomen, physically unable to move. His body spasmed, mouth open as he vainly tried to draw breath. Jinki’s fingers clawed against the ground and he tried to see, but pained tears blinded him. He couldn’t win. He knew that, but he couldn’t just give up. Even as he tasted a dangerous metallic liquid in the back of his throat. Even as the same liquid dripped from his nose and his body screamed at him to stop.

His tortured voice finally appeared when fingers grabbed his hair and yanked his head up, making him look at the copper man dragon again. His opponent was untouched and it should have hurt more than it did. Stubbornly, Jinki reached up with one hand and clawed at the dragon’s shoulder so he could hold fast. “Mine,” he growled; it was the only way he could get the word out.

Strangely, the dragon smirked, as if amused. With his fingers still in Jinki’s hair, he looked up and gave a nod. Then he let go and stood up, moving away without looking back. Jinki gasped and struggled to catch himself, to watch the dragon, to find Taekwoon… Two dragon shapes appeared in the darkness, a flash of lightning revealing them before they disappeared. With their departure, the space began to turn gray, lightening enough for Jinki to finally see again.

“Taekwoon!” he croaked, awkwardly crawling along the ground to roll his other half into his arms. “Woonie,” he sobbed once, pressing his lips against the black hair. “What do I do?” he pleaded, rocking in place and looking around. “Woonie,” he cried again, panic threatening to overwhelm him. Everything was just too much. He hadn’t been prepared for any of it and as he worried about what would come next, his mind finally overcame everything; Jinki spiraled back down into darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can probably bet that Jinki really had no idea what he might be getting into with Taekwoon trying to be a dragonrider. To be fair, it's not as if Taekwoon really knew either. Of course they had expectations, but those are rarely what reality actually is. You'll have to forgive me too. I definitely felt a bit bad about that scuffle at the end between Jinki and Jonghyun. But I did think it showed another bit of depth to his character. At least I'm hoping it came across that way. 
> 
> Regardless, thank you for reading so far and if you've any questions or concerns, please feel free to let me know. I welcome them. ^_^


	11. Unusual

For nearly a sevenday, both Jinki and Taekwoon slept, waking in feverish bouts of delirium. Healer Mimi watched over them steadfastly, assisted by his trainee Himchan and his official assistant Henry. They changed out damp cooling cloths, poured broth down barely conscious throats, and doused them liberally with sleeping draughts shortly after they woke, trying to break the fever and start the healing process.

Outside of the healing hall, Hyesung tended to the dragons, when they would let him get near enough. Like the humans, they had suffered only minor physical injuries, but the blue fell deathly ill, exhibiting similar fever symptoms. Like before, Hyesung had to enlist Gain’s aid to calm the copper enough to get close. He was oppressively protective, and the constant guard dragons did nothing to help the situation either. Eventually though, their fevers broke. All around the same time, strangely enough. And then it became a waiting game for them to wake up.

A strange panicked need forced dark eyes to open. Breathing hurt and the sharp gasp only made him wince as Taekwoon immediately tried to sit up. Pain flared in his chest and abdomen and he growled through his teeth, trying to push past it.

“Hey! Easy!” a worried voice called as quick feet rushed to the bed.

Cool hands pressed against warm skin, trying to push him back down. Taekwoon jerked his arm and knocked them away, hissing, “No!” Looking up through his shifting vision, he noticed it was Henry that had come, normally open expression closed off and slightly hurt. He knew he should apologize, should be lying back down with how he felt, but he had to see what was driving him. “Where?” he gasped, grimacing as another wave of pain racked him.

Naturally narrow eyes crinkled in confusion before Henry gestured to the other side of Taekwoon. “He’s there,” the assistant murmured, still hovering close in case he needed to catch the other man.

Inside? Taekwoon turned his head to see, vision tilting with the motion. But when he saw who Henry meant, it didn’t make sense. “Jinki?” he whispered, unsure why his other half was sleeping in a separate bed… But he looked fine, which soothed part of his spirit. The panic was still there though, beating against his ribs. “No,” he shook his head, fighting a brief bout of nausea. Frustrated, he yanked the covers off and swung his legs over the side of the bed, looking down to see his unclothed form again.

“Taekwoon,” Henry warned, clearly not sure how to respond in this situation. He hovered near the bed and craned his head around, obviously looking for someone. “Healer Mimi!” he called, making a strange sound in the back of his throat when the waking man yanked the sheet off the bed and wrapped it around his bare body.

“Where…?” the trainee breathed again, stumbling towards the door of the room.

“Oh, Bahamut’s Breath,” a new speaker groaned in irritation. Healer Mimi. “Keep an eye on him,” he instructed, voice getting weaker as Taekwoon pushed through the doors. “Easy now. Easy,” Taekwoon heard him sooth just before he got out of earshot.

With single-minded focus, he brushed past another trainee he knew but didn’t immediately recognize. They tried to speak to him but the words sounded strange and they weren’t important anyway. Something out there was. Outside, beyond the Healing Hall. Trying to run, Taekwoon could only manage a frantic hobble. His ability to open the door was severely limited too when running into it without turning the handle in time made him cry out in pain, collapsing against the frame. Angry, Taekwoon reached up to yank the handle down and shove the left side open.

“Would you stop?!” Henry grumbled, trying to help the trainee before he was brushed off once more, the response almost animalistic. “Okay,” he exhaled, holding the door open for him instead.

Taekwoon staggered to his feet and dragged the sheet close as he stepped into the day lit Aerie. Everything seemed different as he stared, vision blurring while he looked around. Panic pulsed in his chest and tickled his mind, making him want to flee. Voices called at him from the outside, but the only one he chose to recognize was one within.

_Here._ A single word that was more a feeling than anything else, but it was clear enough.

Stilling, Taekwoon turned to the right, facing the area in front of Bahamut’s Shrine next to the healing hall. There… A shallow breath filled his lungs and Taekwoon reached out his right hand, stepping towards them as if entranced. “You’re here,” he whispered, seeing the copper and blue colors sharpen into almost painful focus.

“Taekwoon. It’s not safe,” Henry interrupted his line of sight, holding his hands up to stall him.

The trainee noticed his brown eyes and brown hair matched in the sunlight. But he was in the way of what he needed and so one lip rose in a silent snarl.

“Let him go, Henry,” another speaker advised.

Part of Taekwoon’s mind recognized it as Hyesung, but the knowledge came and went like water in a river. It wasn’t important. As soon as Henry stepped aside, Taekwoon moved forward again, right hand outstretched, reaching to touch, to confirm what he saw. Warm breath washed over him first, bathing him in dragon scent. He closed his eyes and soaked it in, breathing deep through the hurt in his chest. When he opened his eyes, he stepped close enough to place his hand oh so gently against the copper dragon’s – Jonghyun’s – nose.

And as he looked into the amber eyes, he felt the voice from before burn through him. _You are mine…_

“And I am yours,” he responded by rote, without thought. Something inside clicked, twisting hard. Taekwoon gasped at the sensation and fell to his knees, finding it hard to breathe for a moment. But then a strange sense of relief and clarity washed over him as the panic dispersed and it felt as if he was coming out of a waking dream. Slightly confused, he looked at his hands and the sheet wrapped around him. At the dragons directly in front of him. And then behind him where a whole slew of familiar faces were watching in concern and uncertainty.

Hyesung was predictably unreadable and he was aware of quite a few other dragons and riders in his periphery, but he was more concerned by the quiet frowns on Mimi and Henry’s faces. And Jinki- Wait. Why was Jinki there? And why did he look like he had just lost something dear to him? His mouth opened partially as if to say something, but no words came out; his eyes jumped from Jinki, to Aerie Master Satoru, High Dragon Commander Eric, and – oh Bahamut’s Teeth… the Bahamut High Priest.

He knew he was missing something. A lot of somethings by the look of it, but he didn’t have any idea of how to start asking and their expressions frightened him more than anything else. Slowly, he closed his mouth, swallowed hard, and got back to his feet, wrapping the sheet around him with as much dignity as he could under the circumstances.

Aerie Master Satoru saved him from having to think of something to say. “Come along, Taekwoon,” he instructed, gesturing towards the shrine nearby. “We’d like to have a word with you,” he explained, glancing at the High Dragon Commander, the High Priest, and Jinki.

“Okay,” he murmured for the sake of responding. But his eyes went to Jinki as he shook his head in admitted uncertainty, hurt and worried by the look he was getting in return. Jinki started to raise a hand as if he might reach out to him, but then he stopped and pulled back, looking away with a guarded expression.

It felt like he’d been slapped. Taekwoon just blinked at him and then moved without resistance when Eric calmly grabbed his shoulders to guide him inside. He was definitely missing information…

Tension was suffocatingly thick in the room as Taekwoon tried to absorb all that he’d been told. They had let him tell what he remembered first, but then they explained what happened after. The after part was not settling well.

By rote, he accepted the plain cup of tea that Satoru offered him and just held it, staring at the liquid with a furrowed brow. It didn’t bother him so much that he knew he should probably be dead; he’d accepted that when he made his choice while in Trance. It did bother him that Jinki now knew. Guilt gnawed at him. And not just because he had been willing to die, but also because he hadn’t noticed the bruises on his face. He remembered seeing him in the bed in the Healing Hall before he left, but he hadn’t paid attention to the dark patches of color around his face. And he hadn’t realized his other half had been watching him as he went to Jonghyun as well…

He took a sip and tried to swallow his guilt, but it stuck in his throat. Especially because Jinki had very nearly died coming after him. That hurt more than the rest, including the horrible bruise on his chest. It felt like something had hit him from the inside and that it was showing outside now.

While he was still lost in thought, the High Priest finally chose to speak. “You are not the first to survive such unusual circumstances,” he explained, wrapping pale, slender hands together in his lap. Taekwoon looked up to meet the dark eyes framed by the cloth mask that hid the rest of his face. “It has happened before,” he added with a glance at Satoru and Eric.

“Not in recent memory,” Eric shook his head, tea untouched before him.

The High Priest laughed softly and nodded in mute agreement. “Quite right. The last occurrence was somewhere around two hundred years ago. It is not mentioned often as it fails frequently and the bond is… undesirable,” he went on, head tilting as if he was cringing.

“Undesirable?” Jinki murmured the word Taekwoon felt. Both glanced at each other and then Jinki looked down as he realized he’d spoken out of turn.

“Indeed,” the Priest murmured, unbothered by the response. “As I’m sure you noticed, Taekwoon’s behavior was hardly normal when he woke.” The hairs on Taekwoon’s neck rose and he shifted in place uncomfortably. The Priest paused, eyes glancing around the people present to see if anyone wanted to offer their own thoughts.

Satoru exhaled and took a sip of tea before he set it down. “He was acting more like a dragon than a man.” Taekwoon winced and Jinki gasped quietly.

“Yes,” the Priest agreed, focusing his unnerving gaze on Taekwoon. “You started the bond of man to dragon. And then relinquished your power,” he explained matter of factly. “You should have died in that moment, but whyever he chose to do so, the dragon claimed you instead.”

“He was angry,” Taekwoon whispered, fingers gripping hard around the cup. He could remember that part so very clearly. His joy and fear and sorrow all crashing together at once. The beautiful sight of both dragons rising up in their natural forms amidst the storm.

“Even unfinished, the bond is not so easily broken. Either he could not kill you once he’d laid claim or he did not wish to hurt himself in the process,” he went on, glancing at Eric who nodded in confirmation.

“Once bonded, a dragon or rider _can_ be killed in Trance, but it will usually kill or maim the survivor,” the High Commander agreed with a heavy sigh.

His words made Taekwoon feel cold through and through. He could accept that answer. It made sense, but it scared him all the same. “But what about what happened with-” he stopped as he looked at Jinki, unable to speak when their eyes connected. At least the other man didn’t look away this time, face crumpling into confused hurt.

“Now that _was_ unusual,” the Priest answered, a smile obvious in his tone. He turned his full attention to Jinki, clearly curious. “They tell me he was looking for you.”

“He wouldn’t let any of the other dragons or riders close,” Eric confirmed crossly, arms anchoring in place across his chest.

“He was challenging me,” Jinki whispered, shaky breath exhaling slowly. “He told me that he had fought for his mate. He asked if I was willing to fight for mine. I said yes.”

They were such important words and yet Jinki spoke them so flatly, as if they were too hard to speak otherwise. It cut Taekwoon like a sword.

“I did not expect to actually have to fight him,” he laughed bitterly, looking away as he touched at his mouth and nose in memory.

“You-” Taekwoon started to say, one hand reaching out as if to comfort him, but he stopped again. He wanted to say that Jinki had saved him. He had, but it felt wrong that, because of him, the man he loved had been forced to that point. He could tell that Jinki wanted to know what he meant to say. The look in his eyes was quite clear, hopeful even. If he’d had more time, maybe he could have coaxed the words out, but they were interrupted instead.

“And how do you feel now, Jinki?” the Priest asked, pulling the other man’s attention away from Taekwoon.

“Sore and tired,” he admitted quickly with a shrug.

“You had no strange reaction upon waking,” he went on, looking over Jinki thoughtfully.

There was a brief moment of confusion before Satoru spoke up a touch defensively. “You think he might have bonded too.” It wasn’t a question.

The Priest laughed and shook his head. “Not a full bond, no. But he did go through the Trance while Bahamut’s Blood was still active, and apparently the dragon accepted him, else he wouldn’t be here now.” That made both Taekwoon and Jinki blanch. Reflexively, they shared glances and the new dragonrider could see his other half hadn’t even considered that as a possibility.

“Active?” Eric scoffed, face showing his disbelief. “They returned marks after it would have worn off,” he reminded the Priest.

“Under normal circumstances, yes,” the Priest nodded in concession. “But you said the blue was unconscious like Taekwoon and that the copper brought them both back. They never actually left the bonding ceremony,” he shrugged, as if there was no other explanation. This time, it was Eric and Satoru who exchanged uncertain looks. Then their gazes drifted to Jinki and Taekwoon, observing while the younger pair remained confusedly silent. “So, Jinki,” the Priest murmured again, staring at the man with unfeigned interest. “How do you feel now?”

Jinki sat up and swallowed, a brief flash of outrage appearing and disappearing just as quickly. “If you’re asking if I feel like a dragonrider, the answer is no,” he stated firmly, hands balled into fists. Satoru reached out to place a calming hand on his shoulder and Jinki closed his eyes to take a breath, relaxing almost immediately. “I feel like me,” he added, voice tight with what had to have been unspoken worry.

Taekwoon knew he’d never wanted to be a dragonrider. The idea that he might have become one accidentally was probably frightening. He had no time to think about it though before the Priest turned his attention to him instead. “And what about you, Taekwoon? How do you feel?”

“Like Jinki,” he defended, gesturing towards him with a quick hand. “Tired. Sore. Confused, but like myself.” He knew what the Priest had said about the binding, but he wanted him to be wrong. He was still _himself_.

“Of course you are you,” the Priest chuckled knowingly, the sound not unlike a patronizing parent. It grated on Taekwoon’s nerves. “What you were before hasn’t changed, but much like a human gives a dragon intelligence when they are bound,” he trailed off, drawing out his response as if he was teasing.

“Kevin,” Satoru warned softly, his tone biting.

The High Priest merely glanced at him in amusement before continuing, “Your dragon has given you, shall we say, draconic tendencies.”

Admittedly, Taekwoon felt a thrill of pride and pleasure at the ‘your dragon’ comment, but denial immediately followed. “That is _not_ true!” he argued, actually glaring at Kevin – the High Priest. One thin eyebrow rose as if to make his point and Taekwoon quickly schooled his features. “The binding was unusual, but I am me. Our Symbiosis is fine,” he spoke, trying to convince himself as much as those present.

“Oh?” Kevin queried, looking at Eric expectantly. The High Commander made a face and stood up, clearly reluctant about something.

“Eric, don’t,” Satoru called out, face tense, though he remained seated and made no effort to stop whatever the High Commander was doing.

“If the High Priest is right, it’s best that we all know now,” Eric responded in resignation. Taekwoon and Jinki were just confused. The feeling only got stronger when the Commander stepped around behind Jinki. Unease crept in.

“Huh?” Jinki murmured, looking over his shoulder uncertainly. Eric looked right at Taekwoon, expression apologetic before it turned hard. Moving fast, he grabbed Jinki and hauled him over the chair, taking him to the floor and briefly out of sight.

It was the sound that did it: Jinki’s surprised and frightened yell. Taekwoon felt confusion give way to surprise and mild alarm as he saw what Eric was doing, but as soon as he heard Jinki’s cry, something in him changed. Anger more akin to rage surfaced and before he even realized what he was doing, Taekwoon had launched himself across the space, teeth bared and fingers crooked like talons. In the same moment, Eric turned to deflect him, helping to push his moving body overhead before he could grab hold.

With a pained howl, he crashed into the legs of a desk as he hit the ground. It only stunned him for a breath before he scrabbled around to find Eric, ready to try again. Taekwoon stalled when he saw him though, standing beside a frightened but otherwise unharmed Jinki. He would have expected him to be scared after that attack, but his fear was directed at Taekwoon, and that was cause for confusion. It warred with the anger and disappeared entirely when he heard clapping nearby.

“Just as I thought,” Kevin murmured in perverse satisfaction, moving to retrieve the discarded sheet so he could hand it back to the unclothed dragonrider.

Taekwoon accepted it hesitantly before he looked down. He was fine- he was naked! Face flushed for more than one reason, he hid his form and gripped the fabric tight enough to turn his knuckles white. He could only manage glancing looks at Jinki and the others. “I’m…” he tried to speak, voice trembling as the words wouldn’t come.

“Taekwoon,” Satoru called softly, a soothing voice in the madness.

He barely heard him though. The dragonrider looked at his right hand as if it was something that didn’t belong. He didn’t even remember moving. One breath he was fine and the next he wasn’t.

“Woonie?” Jinki asked uncertainly, the embodiment of concern.

It broke his heart. “I can’t,” Taekwoon gasped, feeling as if his world was falling apart around him. With one panicked look around the group, he turned to flee.

“Wait!” Satoru tried to stop him as he made it to the door. There was no stopping though.

“Let him go,” Kevin instructed, the sound fading quickly.

Taekwoon recognized it and was briefly surprised by the flash of unease he felt at hearing his words. But then it was gone and he was still running. Everything seemed to be moving too fast. He felt Jonghyun’s wordless query. _Where?_ He didn’t know but he shouted back, “Away!” Surprise and confusion flashed, fading quickly as he ran past. Curious and concerned looks followed him through the Aerie. Part of him knew he looked quite strange: mostly naked with a sheet for coverings, bruising on his chest, and what was likely a wild look in his eye. But it didn’t matter. He just needed to get away.

He didn’t know where he was going at first. His body seemed to be moving more on instinct since his mind certainly wasn’t making the choice. Before too long, he recognized the dorms and he slowed, briefly hesitant. It was a shared room. And Jinki was afraid of him right now. Rightfully so. He didn’t want to make him more afraid and almost turned away. But the Aerie rose up intimidatingly in his view and he knew he needed somewhere safe and familiar, if only for a little while.

With new determination, he kept his head down and brushed past people as quickly as he could, murmuring an apology here and there. It was easier if he couldn’t see who he was moving past, if he didn’t know what people felt when they saw him now. Heart beating fast, Taekwoon finally made it to their shared room and practically dove inside, slamming the door and sliding against it as relief flooded him. Silence and familiarity seeped in, calming his frayed senses and letting him catch his breath without distractions.

“Oh Bahamut,” he exhaled, running trembling fingers through his messy black hair. They got stuck on knots and he left them there, taking several deep breaths as his calm returned. It was not so easily kept, however. Unable to stop himself, Taekwoon laughed, a broken and harsh sound. Tears stung his eyes and he curled in on himself, trying to disappear.

He had succeeded. He was now a dragonrider. But everything was wrong… His Symbiosis, Jinki, him. Taekwoon took a breath and screamed into his knees, slamming his fists against the ground. Even though he’d been sleeping for days, he was tired, but not sleepy. His mind raced but his body felt heavy, now that he’d stopped moving. Reluctantly, Taekwoon got up and shuffled away from the door. He pulled the bed away from the wall and then moved to settle himself in the small space, feeling less exposed and more secure. Drawing his knees to his chest, he grabbed his shoulders across his body and rested his cheek on the back of his hand, staring at the wall as he let his mind go blank.

There was no way of knowing how much time had passed before he finally heard someone come to the door. Taekwoon’s fingers dug into his arms as he both yearned for and feared who might come through it. He couldn’t bring himself to look, shame burning inside. Forehead pressed hard against his wrists, he sobbed once when he heard his name, his whole body shaking.

“Woonie?”

Now he was afraid. Taekwoon wanted nothing more than to hold Jinki, but how could he? After what he’d done, what he’d become, what his other half had been forced to endure… He didn’t feel like he deserved him. He didn’t feel worthy, and so he tried to curl up even more.

Quiet footsteps whispered on the hard ground and cloth rasped lightly as Jinki moved. Silence fell and Taekwoon could only hear the pounding of his blood in his ears. But then feather soft fingertips brushed against his hair, the gesture tender and familiar. Despite himself, Taekwoon looked up and let his bleary eyes focus on Jinki’s face. There was no fear just then. Only sadness and concern. “Woonie,” he sighed, opening his arms just a touch, a mute offer of comfort.

It was enough. Taekwoon’s face crumpled as tears overtook him. “Jinki,” he whimpered as he crawled out of his self-inflicted ball and into his other half’s embrace. “I’m sorry,” he cried as he hugged the other man around the waist and curled in close, sobbing against him.

“Me too,” Jinki whispered, running a soothing hand down Taekwoon’s back. “Me too.”

They shared the same bed that night, Taekwoon holding tight to Jinki as he slept. But even in his peace, even in his lover’s comforting arms, he knew that things had changed. He just didn’t know how or what they could do about it.


	12. The Dragonrider's First Day

Morning was an awkward affair for both of them. Neither Taekwoon nor Jinki knew what to say, the former still too ashamed and the latter too self-conscious. Taekwoon got out of bed first, focusing on simple things: his clothes and a wash, first and foremost. “I’m gonna clean up,” he called out, tilting his head enough to see Jinki in his periphery. “Meet you in the dining hall?” he asked, voice soft and not at all certain of what the answer would be.

“Yeah,” Jinki hummed after a brief pause, tone pensive.

Taekwoon didn’t have to look to know his lover was probably watching him with a giant wrinkle on his forehead. The imagery almost made him laugh. Almost. “Okay,” he murmured instead, nodding his head once before stepping outside and heading for the private washrooms. He needed a soak in the warm pools, but he wasn’t ready for the openness or the attention it would bring him to go there. He was _barely_ ready to go to the dining hall…

The bucket of well water was cold even though the temperature outside was warm. Summer was well on its way and Taekwoon normally enjoyed the sunny days. Now the thought of being outside made him nervous. Looking down, he traced his fingertips over the bruised skin on his torso. It looked very much as if a large dragon hand had stepped on him. One had, but it had been in Trance. Taekwoon flinched at the memory, the sight and feeling coming back vividly for just a heartbeat. As his heart slowed down, he moved his fingers to brush against his throat, feeling just a hint of tender skin. He hadn’t looked yet, but he was pretty sure Jonghyun had left marks there too.

Jonghyun.

His dragon.

For a moment, the thought made his heart swell with pride and joy. He really was a dragonrider. But his stomach dropped as he recalled the conversation he’d been a part of yesterday. Draconic tendencies the High Priest had called them. There was no denying his reaction to Eric attacking Jinki hadn’t been normal for him. And it scared him that he hadn’t been in control for that brief moment of time. Frustrated, he balled his hand into a fist and pummeled his thigh once.

“Stupid,” he hissed through clenched teeth.

It took him far longer than usual to muster his courage to leave the privacy of the washroom and head for the dining hall. Properly clothed this time, he trudged across the Aerie, shoulders slightly hunched as if he was trying to defend himself from silent criticism. Dark eyes darted about, making quick notes about where the dragons and people were. Thankfully, no one took the opportunity to approach him, but he could feel their eyes and their curiosity. It weighed down on him, a burden he couldn’t banish.

Minsoo in his leatherworking stall; the strangely cheery Baekho next to him in the smithy; and the charismatic Soohyun in the general goods stall in the Aerie center all took note of him. He didn’t remember if they’d seen him the other day, but their watchful expressions made him think they had. Beyond that, he noticed Sanghyuk run by, a concerned look on the younger boy’s face as he went to speak with the blacksmith. A handful of the newest arrivals walked past him with quiet whispers and giggles that made him feel self-conscious.

Something rose inside him and he turned a dark glare in their direction instead of just ignoring them. They gasped in unison and flinched away, hurrying towards the livestock pen near the dorms. Taekwoon stopped walking with a wince, pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers. He had not meant to do that… “Bahamut give me strength,” he pleaded, resuming his trek with bowed shoulders and a slightly hanging head.

Curiously, he glanced across the yard to see if his dragon – dragons – were still where he’d left them. They weren’t and he felt a pang of worry before a reassuring sensation blossomed coolly in his chest. Instinctively, he turned to look beyond the gardens and he squinted to confirm that was Jonghyun’s head peering over the greenery. Where he was, Jongup was sure to be, so he wasn’t concerned when he didn’t see the blue directly. Looking to the far end of the garden, Taekwoon noticed Hero staring in the copper’s direction. Amusement tickled him then and he snorted despite himself. The silver dragon was not particularly pleased with the copper and it seemed that Jonghyun didn’t care in the least. Well that was different.

His own amusement faded when he noticed other dragon heads turning to look in his direction. Some he thought he knew and others belonged to older riders and all of them were making him feel nervous. Hunching close again, he resumed his trek to the dining hall, praying he could get there without any more interruptions.

He was mostly fortunate. Those in the dining hall wouldn’t be leaving via the front door as the majority had classes to attend in the Training Halls which took up the rest of the space in the same building. He was not so fortunate in regards to those who were still in attendance… As suspected, the younger students and trainees were mostly gone, except for those left to clean the tables and take care of the remaining food. Off duty dragonriders of the Stardust Battalion, however, still filled one of the tables. Their voices grew quieter as most eyes turned to focus on him. Their judgement was heavy and Taekwoon felt himself torn between wanting to hide and bristling under the scrutiny. Of all the people in the Aerie, they had more reason than most to understand what he’d gone through, but his was different, strange, wrong.

A pang of building guilt hit him when he caught sight of a waving hand in his periphery. Jinki. The presence of the riders and their reaction had made him oblivious to the sole person sitting off to the side, more in the corner than anything else. His guilt intensified as he realized he’d probably done that to make Taekwoon more comfortable; normally he sat right in the thick of everyone. There was even a second plate of food resting on the table in front of him. Grateful and hungry, Taekwoon moved to join his other half, but he was stymied again.

“Taekwoon.” The dragonrider stopped suddenly and fought to keep the irritation from his face as he looked to see who had called him. Dread filled him when he realized it was the High Priest. The feeling spread quickly when he saw that the heads of the Aerie were with him, plus two senior dragonriders he didn’t know well, and Captain Yunho… Torn, he looked at Jinki apologetically when Kevin motioned for him to join them. Taekwoon did _not_ want to. He wanted to go speak with his other half. To try to figure things out and restore some sense of normalcy to an otherwise wholly changed world. But when someone like the Bahamut High Priest called you over specifically, it was not something one ignored.

By Jinki’s look, he knew the other man was disappointed. He looked at the table of powerful figureheads and then down at the plate in front of him before nodding in bleak acceptance. With a small, mute wave, Jinki stood up, nearly tripping over the bench as he did so, and stepped out of the hall. It hurt that he didn’t look back. Inside, Taekwoon felt like he was slowly falling apart. Outside, he kept his face carefully neutral and approached the table of mostly intimidating figures.

“Good morning, Taekwoon,” Aerie Master Satoru greeted, his tone oddly reminiscent of the first time they’d met. A bit of the tension loosened in his gut and Taekwoon was grateful for it.

“Morning,” he responded, bowing to the table as a whole. The dragonriders looked wary or pensive and everyone else was acting like it was a completely normal morning so he tried to pretend it was.

“Please. Have a seat,” Satoru offered, gesturing to the spot that seemed to have been reserved for him in the middle of the dragonriders. And… directly across from the High Priest.

Miraculously, Taekwoon managed to not react and simply took his place as suggested. Captain Yunho watched him directly while the two women gave him furtive glances. He nodded at them as he dredged his memory for their names. He knew the one was Boa – her name was easy enough to remember. The one next to her had a memorable face and persona – she liked to laugh, but her name escaped him.

“How are you feeling today?” Healer Mimi asked, snagging his attention. Not surprisingly, the healer’s gaze was clinically sharp over his long, angular nose. Focused eyes quickly roamed his features, obviously making mental notes as the fingers of his right hand gently tapped the table.

“Fine,” Taekwoon answered. It was true enough. He wasn’t in fact fine, but he at least mostly felt that way.

“Did you sleep?” came the next question.

“Yes?” he responded, thinking the question strange.

“Well, I meant,” Mimi laughed at himself, face lighting up as his long mouth turned up into an expressive smile.

“Mimi,” Satoru chided the healer with a shake of his head. “Can you at least let him eat before you start questioning him?” he asked rhetorically as he gestured at the table with the plentiful remains of the morning meal.

“Oh, right,” Mimi winced, turning an apologetic look on Taekwoon. “You probably haven’t eaten since yesterday,” he surmised, wringing his hands before he looked at the table to find something to push towards the dragonrider.

“Here,” Yunho offered quickly, nudging a plate of cold meats and sweet rolls towards him. It seemed as if he’d been waiting to do that.

“Thank you,” Taekwoon ducked his head as he stared at the plate. He had been hungry when he walked in, but his appetite had disappeared quickly in light of his present company.

“The sweet rolls are really good,” the unknown dragonrider practically whispered as she reached across Boa to place another on his plate.

Boa raised one brow and laughed at her companion but nodded in agreement. “You need to eat, dragonrider,” she reminded him with a pointed glance at the untouched food. “You’ll find the Symbiosis takes more energy than you’d expect.” Her tone was serious but he had the urge to laugh at the comment. It seemed so normal for her, but he still had no idea what they were doing here and he felt entirely too self-conscious with everyone watching him to even try eating.

It must have shown too. Mimi took a breath and hummed to himself. “Well, you look in decent enough health,” he grinned, eyes slightly dark despite his humor. “I’ll leave you to your conversation, but,” he paused, holding a long finger up before him. “I expect you to come see me for a final checkup before anyone else-” his eyes focused on the dragonriders in particular, “decides to claim your time.”

“Don’t worry, Mimi,” Eric assured the slightly taller but thinner man with a clap on his shoulder. “I’ll have Yunho send him over when we’re finished here,” he promised, the words making the Healer nod in relief.

“I take my leave then,” Mimi spoke, standing up and offering a cursory bow before he departed.

Taekwoon watched him leave in his periphery as he focused most of his attention on the remaining individuals. As uncomfortable as this all was, he knew it was about him and recent events. More than anything, he wanted everything to be out in the open so he could finally start figuring out what to expect. He was unhappy with the limbo he was in…

“Captain Yunho,” Kevin murmured, nibbling on a sweet roll under the cloth mask. “You had something you wanted to tell Taekwoon, I believe.”

The Captain, and the High Commander, looked mildly cross at the comment; it was a subtle command that forced the Captain to speak first. “Yes,” Yunho confirmed, smoothing his features professionally. He turned to look at their newest dragonrider straight on. “Normally, we would have you start training with the Battalion since you have earned your dragon. However,” he paused, taking a thoughtful breath as he bit the inside of his lip. “Due to the nature of your… situation,” he hedged politely, “you shall be assigned two senior dragonriders.” Purposefully, he nodded towards the women on Taekwoon’s left. “Boa has a copper dragon and Hyoyeon has a blue and they have agreed to help you learn what it means to be a dragonrider.”

Taekwoon was many things, but oblivious was not one of them. He nodded at Boa and Hyoyeon politely, and added, “As well as to keep an eye on me if I can’t control my dragons.”

“Naturally,” Yunho confirmed, not even trying to deny it, to his credit. “We do the same for all new dragonriders, but your Symbiosis is not yet predictable,” he explained calmly. “Until we all, you included,” he specified firmly, “understand your situation more fully, you _and_ your dragons will be observed quite closely.”

Recalling what he’d thought about wanting everything to be out in the open, Taekwoon was ready to amend that initial idea. He liked being left to his own devices, and he certainly wasn’t a fan of overt observation. Jinki didn’t mind as much because he liked the constructive criticism. Taekwoon preferred to learn by trial and error… “I understand,” he quietly accepted, despite his reservations. What else could he do?

“Good,” Eric chirped, rising to his feet with startling ease. “We will leave you to your morning meal then,” he added, looking at Yunho, Boa, and Hyoyeon pointedly. He did level a warning finger at Taekwoon before he left though. “You will check in with Healer Mimi after this and I will not accept hearing otherwise.”

“Yes, sir,” Taekwoon agreed immediately, the firm, commanding tone demanding it.

High Commander Eric waited for Yunho and his riders to depart first. Then he nodded cordially at Satoru, gave Kevin a more formal bow, and winked at Taekwoon before he left. That left only three, and the remaining dragonriders and cleaning crew, but even they seemed to be thinning out. By default or design, Taekwoon wasn’t sure, but it made him uneasy to be left virtually alone with the High Priest and Aerie Master. He didn’t quite know why though.

“Well then. I can handle it from here, Satoru,” the High Priest explained, hands gesturing fluidly between him and Taekwoon. The gesture seemed magnanimous but it didn’t feel that way to the dragonrider.

“No,” Satoru shook his head with a small smirk. “I think I’ll stay to make sure Taekwoon actually eats something,” he explained, glancing at the younger man with a firm nod towards the untouched food. On cue, Taekwoon at least picked up a sweet roll and started to nibble on it. There weren’t as many people so it was easier, but he was fascinated by the exchange happening before him. “You certainly won’t,” Satoru teased with what felt like insincere humor. “Knowing you, High Priest,” he laughed softly, the sound strangely flat. “You’d _steal_ his sweet rolls.”

“Oh! You wound me,” Kevin laughed, unabashedly entertained. “Though you might be right. The sweet rolls are delicious.”

Satoru’s eye twitched. It was almost unnoticeable. Taekwoon would have missed it if he wasn’t paying such close attention to their body language. Strange… “Of course,” he laughed once, one hand waving dismissively. “But… I believe you had something you wanted to say to Taekwoon from yesterday,” he added, forcing the High Priest’s turn.

“Ah, right,” Kevin smiled, the expression obvious from the way his dark, almond shaped eyes crinkled. “I want to apologize if I made you feel uncomfortable yesterday,” he explained, the words apparently sincere. “I may have overreacted in my excitement about guessing correctly regarding your Symbiosis,” he added with a small nod.

“I understand,” Taekwoon nodded, though he noticed Satoru’s lips thin just a touch.

“I’m not sure you do,” the High Priest remarked, one delicate hand rising to wave off the words, surprising both Taekwoon and Satoru. “As I mentioned, this has not happened in at least two hundred years. And the situation with you and Jinki is unique indeed.”

“High Priest,” Satoru calmly interjected, tapping his hand on the table. “As we discussed the other day, and you agreed, my apprentice has nothing to do with this situation.”

“Oh, not directly of course,” the High Priest agreed almost too quickly. “But as Captain Yunho mentioned earlier, we don’t know just how all the pieces fit together right now. As such, I do expect to be kept abreast of Taekwoon’s developments as well as any that might come about regarding Jinki.” The reasoning was sound, but something about it made Taekwoon’s hackles rise. Looking at Satoru, he had the distinct impression the Aerie Master wasn’t thrilled about the comment either.

The Aerie Master met the High Priest’s gaze for a long moment, expression impassive. But then he nodded in acquiescence. “As you wish.”

“Good,” Kevin smiled, including Taekwoon in the expression. He blinked in response, sitting in silence, and took another bite of his sweet roll.

“Now, if you don’t mind, High Priest,” Satoru spoke deftly, his tone completely professional in that moment. “I believe you have prayers to attend to and I would like a moment with our newest dragonrider. We have matters of scheduling to discuss before he sees the Healer and begins his new training.” Taekwoon had the strangest urge to clap. Wisely, he did not.

The High Priest nodded his head in acknowledgment. “You are correct. I forewent them briefly for this meeting and I shall leave you with your charge,” he conceded, rising gracefully to his feet. “We will speak again later, Taekwoon. For now, Bahamut bless you in your training,” he intoned, bowing towards the dragonrider almost ceremonially

It made Taekwoon uncomfortable. “Thank you, High Priest,” he murmured instead, ducking his head in a hasty bow so he could stare at his plate of food.

“Satoru,” the High Priest commented softly.

Taekwoon didn’t know how they reacted to each other, but he knew when Kevin left. The tension he’d felt all morning departed with him, strangely enough. It was enough to make him weak with relief himself. Even Satoru’s chiding voice wasn’t enough to bring it back either.

“Oh, for Bahamut’s sake. Would you please eat more, Taekwoon,” he laughed in earnest, drawing the dragonrider’s eyes. “Boa was not wrong about the Symbiosis,” Satoru added with a knowing edge to his voice.

For the Aerie Master, Taekwoon picked up a piece of the cold meat and glanced at it, but he was curious. “Satoru,” he started softly, glancing at the place where the High Priest had been most recently.

“Ah!” Satoru cautioned, raising one finger before he pointed it at the plate determinedly. “Eat first. Else you’ll pass out and cause us all more worry,” he scoffed, rolling his eyes as he tucked his hands into his sleeves.

“Yes, sir,” Taekwoon laughed at the response. The levity was finally enough to loosen his appetite again. Under Satoru’s watchful gaze, he made his first plate disappear far faster than he thought it would. And then the Aerie Master pushed the whole plate of meat at him. He was briefly embarrassed before Satoru simply nodded again, giving tacit permission and a very subtle command.

Finally satisfied with his progress, Satoru began to speak and Taekwoon slowed enough to listen. “Just because you have been bound to a dragon, it doesn’t mean that everything changes,” he promised firmly. “Your situation is unique and that will take some trial and error,” he confirmed with an animated nod of his head, “but most of everything will be more or less the same. All things considered,” he shrugged.

Taekwoon’s silent questions were more than obvious and Satoru chose to take pity on him instead of making him ask. “You still have to finish your normal classes in the Training Hall. But now you will be working more closely with Combat Master Seunghyun.” At Taekwoon’s reactive cringe, he chuckled and explained, “You would be training with Dongwan and Yunho more, but because of your Symbiosis, we have to see what makes you react and how we can work around it. Master Seunghyun is best trained to be able to deal with _you_ ,” he gestured both hands at Taekwoon, “right now.”

Annoyed, Taekwoon muttered, “Right,” as he took a large and somewhat savage bite of the piece of meat he was holding.

“My point exactly,” Satoru stated seriously. Taekwoon paused and set the food down, moderately embarrassed. “Beyond that, you will be training more with Boa and Hyoyeon. They have dragons the same as yours – yes, you effectively have two at the moment and you will learn to work with _both_ of them,” he stated firmly when Taekwoon jerked in surprise. “And depending on how your Trance training goes with your dragon-”

“Jonghyun,” Taekwoon interrupted without thought.

“Jonghyun,” Satoru amended seamlessly with no hint of reprimand, much to Taekwoon’s surprise. “We may have Heechul and Gain work with you in regards to that.” He held up a warning finger as Taekwoon opened his mouth to object. “Your Symbiosis is reliant upon your dragon. Not you,” he explained. “Paramours have experience with that.”

“Oh,” Taekwoon mumbled, deflating.

“Lastly,” he started, holding up two fingers as he suddenly got serious again. Taekwoon straightened up immediately, turning his full attention on the Aerie Master. “You shouldn’t expect to be flying or training with the Stardust Battalion anytime soon.” Taekwoon wanted to object, but he knew there was no point and there was a second finger… “And if you want to keep your relationship with Jinki, you _will need_ to have an honest conversation with him soon.”

“Satoru…” Taekwoon groaned, ready to say more.

The “Let me finish!” that immediately followed made him fall silent. “Take it from one who knows. You _will_ want to protect him and that will make you _not_ say certain things. Don’t. Do. That,” he said, punctuating each word with firm emphasis. “As cliché as it sounds, you have to be open and honest with each other. And if you find that you _can’t_ do that, I suggest you spend some time apart.”

Taekwoon frowned at the suggestion. He had every intention of talking with Jinki. At some point. In the near future. When time allowed… But Satoru’s words and his warning settled in with a cold sense of uncertainty. Pulling apart a sweet roll, his last one, Taekwoon softly asked, “Is that why you’re alone now?” He was almost mortified when the question made it past his lips. He hadn’t meant to ask it out loud…

But Satoru simply sighed and nodded. “Yes.”

Unable to stop himself, Taekwoon tried again. “Why?”

“That, dragonrider,” Satoru smiled sadly with a shake of his head, “is a story for another day.” He paused for a breath and then looked at the younger man. “Now, finish your plate, go see Mimi before you do anything else, and try to remember what I said,” he chuckled softly, the sound sad and wispy.

“Yes, sir,” Taekwoon responded, unable to say anything else. Faced with Satoru’s emotions and his quiet exit, he completely forgot that he’d wanted to ask the Aerie Master about the High Priest. He only knew that he had a lot to think about and he wasn’t so hungry anymore. Finishing the slice of cold meat because he knew he should, he pushed the leftovers away, got to his feet, and resolutely set himself in the direction of the Healing Hall.

After consulting with Dragon Healer Hyesung, Healer Mimi confirmed that the bruise on Taekwoon’s chest and the faint marks on his throat were from Trance injuries. Only time would heal them, unfortunately, and he was instructed to take it easy for the time being. In all other regards, he was declared in good health, considering he’d nearly died a sevenday prior.

“You are clear to begin training for your dragonrider duties, but so help me,” Mimi warned, dramatically shaking his finger in front of Taekwoon’s nose. “If you aggravate your injuries needlessly, I will be most reluctant to help you.” His tone was chiding but his expression was understanding and amused. If Taekwoon did hurt himself more while already somewhat injured, he most certainly wouldn’t be the first dragonrider in training to do so.

“Yes, Healer Mimi,” Taekwoon agreed repetitively. What else was he going to say? No?

As Taekwoon stood up to leave, the Healer moved to lean in close and murmur in his ear. “And the next time you happen to see Henry, can you at least consider apologizing or speaking with him?” he encouraged, expressive mouth thinning briefly. “He’s been all mopey since you lashed out at him the other day.” His hands gestured out in a carefree shrugging motion but his dark eyes held a glimmer of mild reproach.

Taekwoon winced and nodded. “I’ll be sure to remember,” he confirmed, gaze drifting to the floor in thought. He hadn’t meant to treat the Trainee Healer so poorly, but not being entirely aware at the time was no excuse for lousy behavior.

“Good. Now off with you, young dragonrider,” the Healer shooed, fluttering his hands at Taekwoon. “You’ve got much to learn and there’s never enough time in a day.”

“Thank you,” Taekwoon murmured respectfully, bowing once before he stepped out. The Healer was quite right. He did have a great deal to learn and it already felt like he was running out of time just this day… Taking a breath and firming his shoulders, Taekwoon started jogging down the halls to find Captain Yunho and his newest mentors, Boa and Hyoyeon.

As expected, Taekwoon’s day was very busy. He spent the morning with the dragonriders (and his dragons), caught the afternoon meal with everyone in the dining hall where he was hounded with questions and given no private time with Jinki, and lost the rest of his day to getting caught up with what he’d missed in his other classes. Supper was very similar to the afternoon meal. He gave Jinki’s hand a reassuring squeeze under the table and was grateful when it was reciprocated. But after supper, he was to go and spend time with his dragons, per Yunho’s orders. Part of being a new dragonrider also meant that he would be spending a great deal more of any free time around his dragons until their bond was stronger and they were more comfortable with each other. He gave Jinki a quick peck on the cheek and then left to just be with Jonghyun and Jongup.

It was late when he returned to their shared room. Jinki was still awake, working resolutely at the desk across from the bed. “Hey,” he called softly, looking up from his papers.

“Hey,” Taekwoon smiled back, wandering over to hug his other half from behind. He pressed his lips to Jinki’s shoulder and looked down at the paper. His nose wrinkled when he recognized it was for Diplomacy…

“How are they?” Jinki asked, one hand grabbing lightly to the arms across his chest.

“Good,” he answered with a nod. “Jonghyun acts as if he owns the place, much to Hero’s annoyance, and Jongup just follows his lead,” Taekwoon explained.

“At least they’re settling in without too much trouble,” Jinki commented, fingers tightening on the other man’s arm. “I’m glad.”

“And how are you?” Taekwoon asked, turning his head enough to look at Jinki’s profile.

“Tired,” he answered honestly, though a laugh escaped him at the same time. “It has been a long day,” he admitted with a slow nod and a sigh as he gestured towards the papers on his desk.

“Me too. Why don’t you leave the rest of this for the morning and call it a night?” he suggested, holding just a bit tighter.

“That,” Jinki started with a pleased smile, “is a good idea. I think I will. But you,” he turned his head and pointed at Taekwoon’s face with his finger, “need a wash first. You smell entirely too much of dragon.”

Curious, Taekwoon ducked his head to sniff himself and hummed thoughtfully. He hadn’t even realized it. “Fine,” he agreed with a prolonged sigh, loosening his hold so he could stand up. “I’ll be back soon,” he promised, slowly claiming his loosely clasped hand back and enjoying the extended contact.

“Okay,” Jinki nodded in understanding, getting up and stretching.

Taekwoon watched him appreciatively for a moment and then left. It didn’t take him long to wash but by the time he returned, Jinki was already in bed. He’d left a candle lamp on for him so it wouldn’t be completely dark when he got back, but the room was otherwise silent. Padding quietly to the desk, Taekwoon changed into a sleeping shift and then blew out the light before he joined the other man in bed.

Contentedly, he curled around Jinki from behind, wrapping his arms around his partner’s waist and burying his nose in the soft hair. He breathed deeply, inhaling the pleasant and familiar scent. “Good night, my heart,” Taekwoon whispered before closing his eyes and willing himself to sleep. Needless to say, they didn’t have a conversation that evening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It doesn't seem as if everything is sunshine and roses for our dear Taekwoon does it? XD At least he is getting things sorted out, sort of anyway. He's on the path to figuring it out at least! heh But as always, thank you for reading and I hope you look forward to the next update!


	13. Dragon Troubles

Despite his best intentions, Taekwoon wasn’t able to have much of a conversation with Jinki in the following moon either. Of course they talked. Simple exchanges of the day and brief moments of pleasantries or assurances, but there was still so much left unsaid. He could feel it in him and building between them, but because of everything else, Taekwoon never had the time or the strength or the resolve to bring it up.

To be fair, it didn’t seem like Jinki had the time or desire to bring it up either…

In addition, a class that Taekwoon used to love turned into something less than enjoyable. As soon as he was cleared to resume training with Seunghyun, those sessions became a special sort of nightmare for him. “Focus!” the Combat Master snapped again, tapping him hard with the training sword to bring him out of his reactive fugue.

The biting pain pulled him from his frustrated anger enough to realize what he was doing and Taekwoon winced, growling at himself as he came to a forced stop. “Sorry,” he murmured immediately, straightening up and staring at the stoic Combat Master again. Both were liberally coated in sweat, even in the early morning mark, and neither were particularly happy. Again.

“Don’t apologize,” Seunghyun muttered, swinging the sword in a circle once as he paced around the dragonrider, determination and frustration evident in equal measure.

Taekwoon bit back the automatic apology and nodded tersely. That was Seunghyun’s motto after all. _Don’t apologize. Recognize what you need to do better and do it._ Easy for him to say. It was all so simple for everyone else. But for Taekwoon, he didn’t know what he needed to do better. Under normal circumstances, he was fine and reacted as any human would. But when he was agitated… for any reason, his chances of reacting instinctively rose considerably. As had just happened because the Combat Master was harrying him with small fast slashes that had taken his sword. And that was when he lost it…

Flexing his hands, he moved to pick up the wooden sword resolutely. “I don’t know how to keep it from happening,” he admitted quietly, expression dark.

Seunghyun stopped pacing and wandered close, combat tension transforming into a pensive and somewhat sad look in his eyes. “Taekwoon. I can’t claim to understand what you’re experiencing,” he admitted with a regretful sigh. “I can only try to push you enough to attempt to get used to the triggers that cause you to react.”

Taekwoon groaned and let his shoulders slump, feeling very much defeated. The only thing they’d learned definitively was the stronger the agitation, the stronger his reaction. He got snappy when he was irritated or confused and he became quick to fight more like a dragon when he was angry or defensive. To his immense embarrassment and frustration, his reactions were also more unpredictable when he was hungry or… when he wanted Jinki. Almost savagely, he tamped down on _that_ memory and tried to focus on the lesson at hand.

“It occurs to me that maybe we are trying to handle this in the wrong way,” Seunghyun added when Taekwoon’s silence lengthened. That made the dragonrider look up in hopeful surprise. The Combat Master brushed at his thick eyebrow with a finger and nodded. “While you are still a man,” he started, gesturing at Taekwoon’s body, “part of you is now a dragon.” His hand moved to pat the space above his heart. “I don’t think we’ve been giving enough attention to that aspect.”

Taekwoon groaned again. At Seunghyun’s amused but curious look, he was obliged to explain. “Jonghyun is… difficult,” he grumbled, instinctively looking towards the doors where his dragons were waiting somewhere outside. “We talk like this just fine. I speak and he listens,” he admitted with a shrug. “But in Trance…” he drifted off hesitantly. Thankfully, Seunghyun let him collect his thoughts and take his time. “Hyoyeon and Boa insist that Trance is normally in human form. When they enter, they and their dragons are humans. I’m… not,” he cringed, feeling wholly uncomfortable.

“Not human in Trance?” the Combat Master murmured in surprise.

“No,” Taekwoon shook his head. “I’m a dragon. Like Jonghyun, only bronze,” he sighed, rolling his eyes. “And I can’t really speak to him because dragons talk in body language and sounds that I don’t understand.” His hand clenched into fists and he growled, “And he won’t _let_ me be a man to interact with him.” He honestly felt so broken and… lost.

Seunghyun hummed in the back of his throat, fingers rising to grab his chin. “Have you told anyone else of this?” he asked gently, a coaxing sound to his words.

“No,” Taekwoon admitted, shoulders slumping even more. He wasn’t trying to hide it. Not really, but at first, he had wanted to figure it out on his own. He thought he could get through to Jonghyun – and Jongup to a lesser degree – on their own terms, but the copper was remarkably stubborn. Now, he was embarrassed and ashamed to try and bring it up. Jinki – his usual confidant – wouldn’t understand and really, it felt like no one _could_. All of the other dragonriders had a normal, rider based Symbiosis.

“Oh, youngling,” Seunghyun surprised him by chuckling. “No wonder you’ve been so frustrated lately.” Taekwoon looked up uncertainly, black bangs partially obscuring the other man from his sight. “Satoru mentioned you might need special training with the Paramours,” he explained, nodding to himself. “I didn’t understand at first, but I do now.”

“But-”

Seunghyun immediately held up his hand to stop Taekwoon from speaking. “Before you say anything, know that Paramour Gain is a very accomplished combatant and, more importantly, she will have the ability and the willingness to help you understand your dragon form.”

“I’m confused,” Taekwoon admitted, biting his bottom lip. But even with that, he was hopeful in a way he hadn’t been in sevendays.

“I’m sure,” the Combat Master chuckled, reaching his hand out for the practice sword. Taekwoon handed it over by rote. “So until you’ve had a chance to speak with her, we will focus on different pursuits. You will still need strength and agility as a rider, so we will work on building those areas for now,” he instructed confidently.

Taekwoon was both excited and underwhelmed by that solution. He was actually good at those areas of physical training, but they were equally exhausting in their own ways. Well, at least he did have something to potentially look forward to, other than just another frustrating Trance attempt he had so little control over.

It would take some time to free up Gain’s schedule enough to regularly work Taekwoon in. She had her own personal duties and helping the newest dragonrider was a matter of a personal favor as opposed to an order: one did not easily command a Paramour after all. He suspected there was likely more to it, as Paramours did have time and they kept their own hours, but he wasn’t going to be the one to ask about it.

And until she could confirm that she was free, it was one frustrating bout of Trance training after another. The one perk to all of it was that even though his Trance bond wasn’t particularly… good, Boa and Hyoyeon were confident enough to allow him to fly. Their dragons could keep up and if Jonghyun decided to get confrontational, they also knew they could curtail him. Not to mention that Hero was never all that far away, when he could help it.

Of course, he hit another snag when Jonghyun eventually told him he didn’t like the harness for riding and refused to accept it anymore. Adding insult to injury, his dragon merely chuffed at him when he literally growled in frustration, glaring at the infuriating beast.

“Down boy,” Hyoyeon laughed teasingly, though there was a flash of wariness in her eyes. Sitting on Donghae just off to the side, she was ready to fly, like Boa and Eunhyuk, but Jonghyun was not…

“He won’t accept the harness,” Taekwoon explained after a brief moment to regain his composure.  
Boa and Hyoyeon exchanged exasperated looks. “You are a prickly thing, aren’t you?” Boa snorted, leaning forward to rub Eunhyuk’s copper hide proudly. “Never had any such trouble with you, did we Hyuk?” she preened, reaching up to scratch the dragon’s chin when he turned his head to nose at her.

“Or Hae for that matter,” Hyoyeon added in, giving more energetic shoulder scratches that made the blue shiver and rumble contentedly.

Taekwoon gestured at the dragons meaningfully with a glare at Jonghyun. Then he turned to focus on his own blue dragon and commented, “Jongup doesn’t mind. Why do you?” he grumbled, hedging towards Jongup before the copper edged closer with a warning growl.

“You’d think after a moon he’d be less overprotective,” Boa remarked thoughtfully, obviously processing the problem before them. “No one’s gonna hurt you. Or him,” she added with a gesture towards both dragons.

“Well. It looks like we won’t get any flying done today,” Hyoyeon shrugged, giving Donghae vigorous cheek scratches when the blue turned to nose at her in turn. “We can still go flying, boy,” she promised, kissing him playfully on the snout. He chittered at her – it was the only way Taekwoon could really explain it – and pranced in place.

“He’s not a dog, Hyoyeon,” Boa snorted, her expression mildly confused.

“Of course he’s not,” the other rider agreed easily. “He’s just a very happy dragon.” She certainly wasn’t lying. Like most blues, Donghae had a lot of energy, rivaling that of some whites and blacks, but he was also exceptionally good natured. Granted, that was mostly around his rider, but still. It was slightly unusual in a dragon.

Hesitantly interested, Jongup took a couple steps towards Donghae and Hyoyeon, as if he wanted to fly too. Jonghyun, however, swung his head around and issued a soft warning, sending the blue scurrying back to the copper’s side.

“Hey!” Taekwoon snapped, shaking his finger at the copper angrily. Jonghyun’s head drew back in startled surprise. “He’s your _mate_! Not your prisoner,” he reminded his dragon, deeply annoyed at the reaction. “If he wants to go flying with any other dragon, he can.” Jonghyun tossed his head defiantly with a little grumble. “No!” Taekwoon firmed, finger shaking again. “He’s your mate. Trust him like he trusts you,” he scowled, crossing his arms over his chest as he faced his dragon down.

Jonghyun didn’t say anything back but Taekwoon did feel that sense of internal communication. Frustration. Worry. But also guilt. Obviously pouting, he hunkered down and curled his wings and tail close. With a quiet huff, he nodded oh so slightly at Jongup. The blue chirped once and then perked up considerably, head and wings rising high as he bounced over to the other blue.

“Okay then,” Hyoyeon grinned, giving Taekwoon a satisfied grin. “We’re gonna take a couple laps. See you guys later!” she called out, cheering happily as Donghae hopped up and starting beating his wings into the air. Jongup followed shortly after. Taekwoon watched them go without looking at his copper dragon.

“You handled that well,” Boa commented from atop her copper, dark eyes speculative as she glanced between the dragon and rider.

Slightly pleased but still more frustrated than anything else, he waved his hand dismissively. “Yeah, well. If only I could handle him as a rider half as well.” Jonghyun shrugged one wing, showing he’d heard the comment, but he didn’t respond otherwise. “Ugh,” he groaned, snagging the harness from the ground and stalking off.

“Where are you going?” Boa asked curiously.

“To see Minsoo about making a new harness,” he grumbled back, determined if tired.

“Good luck!” she called out. Taekwoon was grateful. He knew he’d need it with the way things were going.

The muscled, tattooed leatherworker ran his hands expertly over the harness, eyeing the straps and metal rings along the entirety of it. “And you’re saying he just stopped letting you put it on?” he asked Taekwoon half-distractedly.

“Yes,” Taekwoon sighed, fidgeting with a scrap piece of leather between his fingers. He glanced over at the three rising trainees who were working on repairing other dragonrider gear, trying not to be too obvious in their staring and eavesdropping.

“Huh,” Minsoo hummed, placing the leather gear down and wandering to the back of his stall. He pulled out a sealed parchment and unrolled it, laying it flat on his personal crafting board. “It’s odd when it happens but he’s certainly not the first dragon to reject a harness,” the Master Leatherworker promised reassuringly.

“Does that mean I won’t be grounded for too long then?” the dragonrider asked with hesitant hope.

Minsoo raised his hand in caution first and then shrugged. “It depends on what the problem is. I’ll have to take a look at his hide to get a better idea of what the issue might be, but from there, I’ve got a couple ideas I could try.”

“Thank Bahamut,” Taekwoon exhaled in audible relief.

“Hey!” Minsoo mock scowled, giving Taekwoon a playfully cross look.

“And you too, Master Minsoo,” the dragonrider laughed, giving a partial bow in mute apology.

“That’s better,” the taller man winked, turning back to the parchment. “Give me a day or two and I’ll let you know what I’ve found. I can’t promise anything but hopefully we’ll have you back in the air within a sevenday,” he explained distractedly, focus already on his new project.

“Yes, sir!” Taekwoon responded, feeling at least a little better for the exchange. It didn’t solve the biggest problem, but it was something he could work on fixing.

Leaving the stall, he waved at Soohyun and Baekho, both of who smiled back. Then he checked the sun to see the time and nodded to himself. His morning had certainly not gone according to plan, but he could still catch Jinki in the dining hall if the other man wasn’t otherwise detained. He felt a bit guilty that he really hadn’t been spending that much time with his other half lately. They’d been told he’d be unusually busy with his new dragonrider training, but no matter how much he rationalized it, that didn’t change the fact they really hadn’t been seeing that much of each other.

He was just about to the dining hall door when Jinki stepped out in front of him, tripping in his surprise. “Taekwoon!” he yelped, flailing forward.

Reactively, Taekwoon shifted to catch and steady him, bracing Jinki against his body. “You okay?” he asked with an amused smile. It had been a while since he’d been that clumsy.

“Yeah,” Jinki laughed once, face slightly flushed in embarrassment. “Thanks,” he murmured, looking into Taekwoon’s face with genuine interest before he gently stepped back and straightened his clothes.

“Where you off to?” Taekwoon asked, letting him go with reluctance and looking around curiously.

“Satoru’s office,” Jinki answered, chewing his bottom lip as he contemplated how much to say. Taekwoon didn’t need to ask though. He added, “He received a missive from High Priest Kevin this morning and it sounds like they might be sending a wing out for something soon.”

“Oh?” Taekwoon murmured, a flash of distaste crossing his face at the mention of the High Priest.

Jinki laughed and tilted his head curiously. “What was that for?” At Taekwoon’s confused look, he gestured at his face and explained, “That expression.”

“Oh.” He didn’t really have a good reason for it. But Jinki had asked and he was grateful for the conversation, especially after his morning. “I’m not sure,” he explained slowly, trying to feel his way with care. “The High Priest makes me uneasy,” Taekwoon sighed with a shrug.

“Interesting,” his other half whispered, one finger rising to his lips.

“What is?” the dragonrider asked, curiosity piqued instantly.

“I don’t know,” Jinki laughed once with a shake of his head. “It’s probably nothing,” he added, waving his hand dismissively with a falsely amused smile.

“Tell me,” Taekwoon urged, catching Jinki’s hand gently in his and holding firm. Something in him needed to hear this.

“It’s just…” he hesitated, glancing at the spire where the Aerie Master’s office was. “I don’t think that Satoru really cares for… or maybe he doesn’t really trust the High Priest.” At Taekwoon’s surprised look, he shook his head and shrugged again. “I know right? He’s never said it, but it’s… just a feeling.”

That made Taekwoon pensive. Since his binding, he’d learned there was a lot more merit to ‘feelings’ than most people gave them credit for. “That is interesting,” he mused, biting his bottom lip thoughtfully.

“Like I said. It’s probably nothing and I really do need to be getting to his office now,” Jinki reminded him apologetically.

“You’re not eating?” Taekwoon blinked in surprise, body turning as Jinki started to pull away again.

“No time!” he cringed, pausing long enough to brush his fingers against Taekwoon’s cheek. “Busy, busy,” he added with a laugh through his nose. “See you tonight though,” Jinki promised, finally pulling free as he hurried away.

“Yeah,” Taekwoon exhaled, a slight frown on his face.

“Whoa!” a surprisingly deep voice startled him out of his thoughts a few breaths later. Flinching back, he narrowly avoided an equally reeling Yongguk who had nearly run into him just outside the doorway. “Didn’t see you,” he laughed with a gummy grin.

“Sorry,” the dragonrider murmured, making sure to move himself out of the doorway this time.

Yongguk must have noticed he was a bit withdrawn and the older man offered, “If you’re looking for Jinki, he should be in Satoru’s office.” He pointed awkwardly with one hand while his other held a few scrolls close to his body.

“No,” Taekwoon shook his head, forcing a smile he didn’t entirely feel. “I was just heading to the dining hall.”

“Okay. Well, enjoy your meal,” Yongguk encouraged with a quick wave. And then he too turned and hurried away, leaving Taekwoon with his thoughts once more.

“Busy, busy indeed,” he echoed Jinki’s words from earlier.

The afternoon meal was a muted affair for Taekwoon. He found some solace in the playful, bickering antics of Joy and Sanghyuk, two completely unrelated people that genuinely acted like brothers and sisters. And Wonshik was always good company, though Amber was nowhere to be found this time. Then again, neither was Kibum, as a quick look at the Master’s table showed. Jongin was there, though he had a bit of interesting news to share.

“Have you guys heard?” he asked in a quiet voice, forcing them to lean closer to hear what he had to say.

“Maybe?” Wonshik shrugged, not sure about what rumor he was referring to.

The group chuckled and Sanghyuk nodded knowingly, as there were a couple such tidbits floating around, like always. “I’ll be flying a message to Kokoshir on the morrow,” he explained, face thoughtful.

“To the King?” Joy asked excitedly, eyes dancing in delight.

“I think so,” Jongin agreed with a quick nod, wavy hair bouncing around his ears.

“Do you know what message you’re delivering?” Sanghyuk questioned, clearly as curious as the rest.

Jongin shook his head. “I usually don’t. Being a messenger is not exactly an informed position,” he laughed, accepting his fate in good humor. “Krystal’s looking forward to the flight though. A bit longer than usual and she’s dying to really stretch her wings,” he grinned, clearly proud of her.

“Must be nice,” Taekwoon couldn’t help but sigh, picking at his food with only mild interest.

“Right!” Jongin chirped, pointing at the other dragonrider. “You’ve been training lately too. How’re the flying lessons going with Jonghyun?” he asked intently.

Taekwoon’s face must have shown what he didn’t say as they all winced in mute sympathy. “Bahamut help me, I like my dragon,” he assured them with a tight voice, “but he can be incredibly infuriating at times.”

“Sorry buddy,” Wonshik leaned close to slap his shoulder with a firm hand. “But at least you’ve got a dragon,” he winked, giving him a good shake to boot.

“And it sounds like you’ve got a couple ideas about what to do with him,” Sanghyuk nodded encouragement, earning a glare from Joy who immediately inferred he wasn’t telling her the latest gossip.

Taekwoon wasn’t sure how he felt about him being the subject of Aerie interest, but he supposed it was not entirely unexpected. After all, he was the only dragonrider that had two dragons, two trainers (not including special attention from Yunho and Hero), and special training assignments pending… “Minsoo’s helping me with the latest problem and Master Seunghyun and I spoke about how to get closer to my dragon.”

“Oh? Do tell,” Joy grinned, leaning forward with eager interest.

The dragonrider snorted and shook his head. “If it works, maybe I’ll let you know,” he half-promised. By their groans, he knew _they_ knew he probably wouldn’t say anything else about it.

“Promises, promises,” Wonshik waved dismissively with his hand, but then focused on Jongin again. “It’s a long journey to Kokoshir though. Just make sure you’re ready and watch your back when you’re flying. The Messenger sigil isn’t always enough to keep you safe.”

“I know,” Jongin agreed in understanding. “But we can’t live our lives always being afraid,” he winked, snagging a piece of carrot from the nearest plate. “And Krystal thinks she’s ready for anything. I’m inclined to let her try,” he shrugged, content in that moment.

Taekwoon envied him. His relationship seemed so easy with Krystal. It almost hurt when compared to the overly complicated relationship he had with Jonghyun. He would have tried to get closer to Jongup, but his mate wasn’t too keen on that idea yet either. Not that Taekwoon could entirely blame him. He just had to wonder if the copper was this overprotective before the Symbiosis or if it had come about as a result _of_ their Symbiosis.

As with most things Jonghyun, that was a question for another day. With his mind full of the troubles he was facing, Taekwoon went through the rest of the day only half-aware. He mostly tuned out the afternoon lessons and knew he’d probably have to ask someone for help with them later. But at least supper had Jinki, who seemed slightly troubled… even if he did laugh and converse as he usually did.

Taekwoon did not pry during their meal. He was curious about the meeting in Satoru’s office earlier and figured whatever was bothering him might have something to do with that. But when they turned in for the evening, Jinki was reluctant about not discussing it.

“I can’t talk about it with you, Woonie,” he chided just a bit regretfully.

“Why not?” Taekwoon muttered, on the verge of pouting but his pride wouldn’t quite allow it, even around Jinki.

“Because it’s Aerie Master business and you’re just a dragonrider,” he teased, bopping Taekwoon on the nose as he wrinkled his own. “No offense,” he clarified, sitting on the bed and taking the dragonrider’s hand in his. “I’m surprised I was allowed to know myself, being just a trainee. Yongguk of course,” he shrugged, not entirely sure.

“You are many things, Jinki. _Just_ a trainee isn’t one of them,” Taekwoon assured him, wanting to get closer. But there was a newfound hesitancy between them now. Unbidden, his stomach dropped as he remembered the sudden hunger that had caught him unawares a couple sevendays back. He especially remembered the fear in Jinki’s face that had snapped him out of it and made him sleep on the floor that evening.

“Thanks, Woonie,” Jinki smiled gratefully, leaning close to press his lips to the dragonrider’s forehead. “You’re not _just_ a dragonrider either,” he echoed, brushing his thumb against the sharp angle of Taekwoon’s cheek.

“I’m trying not to be,” he whispered back, meeting Jinki’s gaze, though he usually felt like he was failing in that.

Jinki smiled sadly, shifting his hand to cup Taekwoon’s cheek instead. “I know.”

For a moment, Taekwoon had to wonder. Did he really know? Did he really believe that? He almost wouldn’t blame him if he didn’t. There was so much that they hadn’t talked about yet. Now would probably be a good time actually, but he didn’t want to. It might turn unpleasant and this moment was entirely worth savoring. He grabbed the back of Jinki’s hand and turned his head so he could kiss the open palm. “My heart,” he whispered, drinking in the sight of his other half.

“Woonie,” Jinki smiled and laughed. “Love you too,” he added, pulling at Taekwoon’s hand as he shifted to lie down on the bed.

“The light,” Taekwoon murmured, glancing at the candle lamp on the desk.

Jinki didn’t let his hand go though and kept pulling. Taekwoon was obliged to follow along. “It’ll burn down on its own,” he promised, dragging the same arm around his body to hold against his chest under his chin.

“Okay,” Taekwoon agreed, curling against Jinki’s back so he could hold his lover close. “Good night,” he whispered, pressing his lips to the back of Jinki’s shoulder tenderly.

“Night, Woonie.”

Taekwoon was happy and content in that moment, but even he realized it also amounted to another evening where the unspoken words between them continued to grow.


	14. Complicated

The next couple days were a bit of a blur. Jongin left for Kokoshir on Krystal in the early morning marks and his departure had the Aerie abuzz with theories. Satoru and Eric were typically aloof regarding matters of sensitive natures and everyone knew better than to try and pry any new tidbits out of their assistants or trainees. Bahamut help the fool that succeeded… That wasn’t to say those same persons didn’t take it upon themselves to try and be scarce to reduce any such inclinations.

On the following day, Minsoo swept in and hauled Taekwoon out of Combat Training class, much to Seunghyun’s bemused surprise. Taekwoon was too, for that matter. He’d never have thought anyone capable of interjecting like the leatherworker did. “You have him all the time. My turn today,” he snorted, giving the Combat Master a side-eyed glance.

“We weren’t finished,” Seunghyun commented dryly, though did move to put away the obstacles he’d laid out for Taekwoon to navigate. Repeatedly…

“I’m sure he’ll make it up later,” Minsoo waved without concern, waiting for Taekwoon to join him so they could leave. “Besides. You know who is free during this mark so enjoy it you crotchety old man,” he teased, ducking out before he could get whatever reprimand was going to come his way.

Taekwoon would have been quite interested in hearing it, but he was just as amused by the indignation that quickly gave way to a thoughtful, pleased look. Almost belatedly, he realized that Taekwoon was still present and he raised one brow pointedly. “What are you still doing here?”

“Nothing, sir!” Taekwoon yelped, jerking upright before he hastily departed. In a few steps, he’d caught up with Master Minsoo, and while there were quite a few things he wouldn’t have minded saying, they weren’t exactly phrases one said to a Master when you weren’t one. So he settled on, “You wanted to see me, sir?”

“Ugh. So formal,” Minsoo laughed with a crooked smile. “But yes. I have a harness for you to try,” he winked, grinning harder when Taekwoon’s face lit up. “The original one was starting to chafe him. May be that he developed a slight allergy to the leather, but I switched up materials and design and think this might work for him.”

In an excited rush, they swung by Minsoo’s stall, waving at Baekho and Soohyun again. The Master Leatherworker ducked in to snag the… harness he intended for Jonghyun. Taekwoon had very immediate questions. “A net?”

Minsoo rolled his eyes and scoffed immediately. “Of course it’s not just a net. Bahamut’s teeth, boy,” he laughed, shaking his head. “You’ve seen how most harnesses are like oversized horse saddles with less padding and more straps to secure them, and you, in place.”

“Right…” Taekwoon conceded, still looking at the carefully folded ‘net’ in the other man’s hands.

“Well, this one is a bit of a glorified net, but,” he stalled, holding up one finger intently. “It’s meant to have a very specific purpose in mind,” he winked, slowing to look around so he could locate the dragons. Taekwoon pointedly easily, having a fairly unerring sense of where they were at all times now, and waited for the rest of the information. “If it works like I’ve envisioned, it’ll let you transfer between your two dragons fairly easily.”

“Excuse me?” Taekwoon nearly choked. Transfer between dragons?

“Oh,” Minsoo cringed, stalling in his walk. “I guess Dongwan didn’t mention that yet, did he?”

“Sorry. No,” the dragonrider shook his head, inclined to believe the idea was both crazy and brilliant.

“Oh well,” he shrugged, having let that cat out of the bag. “Regardless, dragon jumping is not exactly easy or encouraged but because you have two, the higher ups think it a good idea that you learn to work with both of them. And having a harness that lets you do that better can’t hurt,” he shrugged.

Admittedly, the Master Leatherworker had a point. Taekwoon was just hesitant about trying it. Especially because he didn’t even know if the harness would work on Jonghyun. He had little doubt about Jongup – the blue was quite accommodating when allowed. “Okay. Other than the design, what’s so special about this harness?” he asked as they neared the dragons, knowing Jonghyun would be able to hear the answer.

“For one, the material. Most of our harnesses are made from deer or larger game leather. At its core, this one has those, braided together to help with durability, but the exterior is wrapped carefully with rabbit leather. It’s usually much softer and less prone to irritating sensitive skin.” At the comment, Jonghyun snorted and rolled his eyes, much to Minsoo’s amusement. “Touchy isn’t he?”

“Yes,” Taekwoon agreed with an emphatic nod, managing to hold his tongue on saying anything else. He could still feel Jonghyun’s childish response.

Minsoo laughed outright and patted Taekwoon on the back. But then he continued explaining, “The netting part is made of multi-braided silk threads. Hyosung actually volunteered to help with that part. She has such quick and steady hands for it. The material shouldn’t bite into his skin because it’s been braided to round out the edges and then braided again to add even more strength. Technically, it shouldn’t break without _considerable_ force,” he promised, slowing in his speech to look sidelong at Jonghyun whose copper nose had come intimidatingly close to the harness.

When Minsoo looked to him for answers, Taekwoon shrugged. “He wants to test the strength himself.”

“Huh,” the leatherworker chuckled, offering the harness. “No teeth. Sawing or chewing will cut it,” he shrugged, as if to say he couldn’t make it perfect against everything. He didn’t need Taekwoon to translate the mild eye roll he got in response.

Jonghyun chirped at Jongup and the blue grabbed one part of the harness before he started backing up. The copper then started to back up too as they began an impromptu game of tug of war with Minsoo’s newest design. Taekwoon glanced over and almost felt bad for him. He was understandably nervous about the test. The braids creaked and stretched and maybe one frayed to Taekwoon’s inexperienced eyes, but ultimately, the netting held.

Minsoo’s face opened up into a broad grin as he pumped his fist into the air. “I’d call that a success!”

Taekwoon nodded in agreement as he felt Jonghyun’s begrudging acceptance. “My dragon says it’ll do.”

“Okay!” Minsoo crowed. “Let’s see how it fits then. I can make minor adjustments as needed and can have another one finished by the morrow for Jongup too if necessary.”

“Come on, Jonghyun,” Taekwoon called, snagging the harness and untangling it to work out how to set it on the dragon. With Minsoo’s help, the netting actually spread around his chest and over his shoulders, while there were two anchoring straps: one that passed directly across his breast and the other that went under his front arms and in front of his wings. There was no saddle though…

“I can always add one later,” Minsoo brushed off his concern. “I had to see if this would work first.” That was fair. The shorn head started to look around again and he opened his mouth in excitement when he noticed who he was looking for. “Yunho!”

Taekwoon flinched at the Captain’s name and then watched warily as the taller man approached, followed closely by Hero. The silver dragon eyed Jonghyun critically, though the expression didn’t seem to be directed at the harness. “Ah. Have you come up with a solution for Jonghyun’s dilemma?” Yunho asked easily, looking over the harness with a practiced and satisfied gaze.

“I think so,” Minsoo confirmed with a quick nod. “Just need to test it now.”

“Ah,” Yunho nodded in understanding. He looked at Taekwoon to see what the new rider would do and then jerked his head to the side when no response was forthcoming. “Well. Go get your riding gear, dragonrider,” he commanded, making Taekwoon jerk in surprise. He hadn’t exactly been expecting to ride today…

Nevertheless, he pelted off to retrieve his leathers and his own harness with securing hooks. Winded but exhilarated, he noticed Minsoo looking at his waist as he got closer again. “May have to change those designs to better fit the net but they’ll work for now,” he concluded, a thoughtful expression on his face already.

“Alright, Jonghyun,” Taekwoon encouraged, getting close enough to start clambering onto his dragon with awkward grace. The new design wasn’t the easiest to adjust to and his dragon wasn’t inclined to make it that easy either. “Hey,” he chided, finally managing to swing his leg over the spine and settle into place with a click of his anchoring hooks. “You haven’t flown much lately and you’re getting lazy.”

A snort was Jonghyun’s response, but he did open his wings to test the feel. Padding in a circle, he shifted and moved, letting Taekwoon feel every contortion as he did so. It should have been annoying, but the dragonrider was just happy to be dragonback again. Under Jonghyun’s irritation, he could also feel the pleasant surprise at how the harness actually did feel. He kept his tongue still lest he upset his dragon, but he would certainly let Minsoo know later.

“Ready to get airborne?” Yunho asked as he nimbly climbed to Hero’s back, settling in place with practiced ease.

“Ready when you are,” Taekwoon nodded, leaning forward to pat Jonghyun’s shoulder encouragingly. He could feel his dragon weighing the action, and Taekwoon’s lips thinned. He hadn’t meant to do it, but it felt right, and he couldn’t imagine why the copper could be annoyed with him for it…

“Let’s go, Hero,” Yunho urged, giving the silver free rein to fly. Happily, he bugled a challenge and launched into the air, wings beating fiercely and sending dust clouds in their wake.

Unable to resist the challenge, Jonghyun offered no hesitation as he followed suit, jerking a slightly unprepared Taekwoon in the harness. Clawing at the air as if it might help him fly faster, the copper trailed after Hero, trying desperately to make up for lost ground. The silver was bigger though, and had more experience in aerial maneuvers. Deftly, he set the pace and the trail they followed.

Both exhilarated and a bit unnerved, Taekwoon held on tight and reveled in the ride. So far, the harness was holding just fine and Jonghyun was feeling amusingly challenged by the silver dragon. He could keep up well enough, looping and banking and diving, sending Taekwoon on a winding river ride of motions, but he couldn’t actually catch up to Hero. It didn’t take long for the challenged sensation to turn to irritation, and that made Taekwoon a little nervous. Jonghyun – like him – was unpredictable when irritated.

“Jong…” he warned softly, inhaling sharply as the dragon abruptly did a barrel roll to the right. Unprepared for the shift, Taekwoon lost his hold and flew off the dragon’s back. The anchoring hook yanked taught, stealing the breath from his lungs as he spun in the air with the dragon. When Jonghyun leveled out, momentum carried the rider into his side with too much force, nearly knocking the wind from him again. “Jonghyun!” Taekwoon groaned, gripping gloved fingers into the netting to make sure he was secure in case the dragon tried to do something else. He wasn’t wrong.

In the next heartbeat, he barrel rolled in the other direction, letting the momentum of his spin pull at Taekwoon. The rider was so very grateful for the gloves in that moment, but it still hurt when his fingers were wedged between the dragon and the thin netting. He felt amusement and a thrill of determined challenge; he didn’t know if it was directed at him or at Hero. Frankly, it didn’t matter. His feet were flying in the air and he was regretting his decision to go airborne. He felt Jonghyun issue another challenge that quickly turned to confusion.

It all ended quite quickly when something large slammed into them from above. Jonghyun squawked in pained outrage and plummeted several lengths before he managed to even out, wings splayed wide and head twisting around for whatever had hit him. Anger flared and Taekwoon looked up in time to see Hero angling in again. Jonghyun immediately banked to the right and down. Maybe he was trying to lose the silver or maybe he had something else planned, but it didn’t work. The much more experienced Hero flipped over them with his own barrel roll and came swooping in from the other side.

The only reason he didn’t hit them harder this time was because Taekwoon was in the way. Taekwoon screamed at the new impact, briefly caged in by a larger dragon above him. For one moment, his fear became Jonghyun’s and then they hit the ground, crashing through trees with the copper dragon absorbing most of the force. Pain resonated, singing through their shared bond and physically obvious. Taekwoon completely lost his grip and the anchor hook caught him awkwardly, holding firm though the harness twisted into his waist, biting through his riding leathers.

“Ow…” Taekwoon groaned, hurting more than he thought he should just then. His own discomfort overwhelmed him for a moment before he realized the added sensation was coming from his and Jonghyun’s shared bond. As annoyed as he was with the dragon for whatever madness got into his head, he was also immediately worried. “Jonghyun?” he croaked, still hanging limp as he tried to turn his head to see through the settling dust and debris.

“Taekwoon?” The downed dragonrider winced at the Captain’s voice. And then flinched again when a piercing, panicked roar howled over him.

Still reeling from the forced landing, Taekwoon could barely collect his thoughts much less try to puzzle out the dragon. It wasn’t Hero, but a part of him – maybe it was even Jonghyun – knew it was Jongup. Exhaling painfully, he looked up just in time to see the much smaller blue literally crash into Hero, narrowly missing Yunho in the process.

Caught unawares by the surprise attack, the silver dragon screeched as he was bowled over, rolling awkwardly, obviously trying to protect the rider on his back. Blue and silver separated, devastating trees in their wake. Both rounded on the other, hissing angered warnings. Jongup was no match for the silver. Not toe to toe, but he was defending his mate. And Hero was defending… his.

“Stop!” he gasped, voice nearly impossible to hear. Taekwoon knew he had to do something. He couldn’t let them fight. It would not end well for anyone, and Jonghyun was either unconscious or unable to do anything. Hissing through his teeth, Taekwoon gripped the harness with one hand to steady himself and then reached a hand determinedly towards the blue. “Stop!” he barked, the sound short and sharp. It would have been pitiful in any other situation, but here… it was enough. Somehow. Jongup flinched, head swiveling to find him. The sudden change was enough to make Hero pause, though his defensive posture remained.

Amber eyes in a blue face blinked, focusing on Taekwoon, and then they dropped to the copper under him. With a worried chirp, Jongup bounded close, looking small near his mate. He wasn’t that much larger than half the other dragon’s size, but he was strong enough to clear Jonghyun’s head from the debris it had gotten wedged under. Clear of the tree, the copper sneezed, blowing dirt and leaves in Jongup’s direction.

Taekwoon was just starting to feel as if things might be okay when he was startled again. “Oy!” Looking up, he saw a blue dragon coming close with Hyoyeon atop. Just behind her was Boa on her copper. Both looked extremely confused. And worried.

“What in Bahamut’s fury happened?!” Boa demanded, easing Eunhyuk down and moving close to let the copper start helping his similarly colored brother up.

Jongup hissed a worried warning and Taekwoon shushed him. “Easy, Jongup. It’s okay,” he gestured, letting the blue look at him for a long moment.

“It was supposed to be a test flight for Taekwoon’s new harness,” a wincing and recovering Yunho commented, testing his arms and legs slowly. “I’m alright,” he assured his dragon calmly, waving the concerned head away with a gentle shove on the silver nose. “Not sure what got into Jonghyun though,” he shrugged in mild confusion, brow furrowed. “Hero had to take him down.”

Taekwoon had the feeling there were a lot of reasons for today, but he didn’t feel like trying to venture or explain any of them just then. “He’s a bit banged up but otherwise okay,” he assured them in a tight voice, feeling a mixture of pain, embarrassment, and frustration from his dragon.

“And how are you?” Hyoyeon asked, giving him a quick once over with concerned eyes.

“I’ll live,” he nodded tiredly, glancing at the harness he was still attached to. Miraculously, it was still whole. Now he did see a frayed edge from when they crashed, but it had held up remarkably well. “I guess we can tell Minsoo the harness worked,” he shrugged, coughing once as he tried to loosen the band about his waist.

Boa scoffed and gestured at him in mild disbelief. “This kid.”

“Enough,” Yunho called out, his voice low but firm. “Let’s see about getting back to the Aerie. We’ve probably worried more than a few people today,” he reminded them with a glance up the cliff side where there were other dragons circling.

“You certainly know how to put the Aerie in a tizzy,” Hyoyeon laughed once, amused but still a bit concerned.

Taekwoon nodded in agreement and pat Jonghyun on the shoulder. His dragon didn’t look at him but he knew he was listening. “You okay to fly yourself or do you need help?” he intentionally goaded. The surge of annoyance paired with the audible huff would have told anyone what his answer was.

“Okay then,” Boa nodded in approval, guiding Eunhyuk away to give them space.

Jonghyun was sore and slow to move, but Taekwoon was glad when he was finally airborne. Hyesung wasn’t going to be happy with them, and Mimi wasn’t going to be happy with him, and Bahamut knew how Jinki was going to react, but at least they weren’t too injured…

Interestingly, Hyesung was more annoyed with Hero than Jonghyun, but only just. “You could have handled that better,” he scolded the silver dragon after giving him a cursory once over. Hero grumbled back and looked away in irritation when the Healer glared at him. “And you’re grounded for at least a sevenday,” he chastised Jonghyun, getting a very similar reaction from the copper. Hyesung raised a brow and gestured at the scratched up body. “You strained your wings – and flew _back_ with strained wings, and goodness knows what else you did when you _crashed_!” he reminded the dragon pointedly, arms crossed over his chest.

Jonghyun grumbled a very reluctant agreeing sound and then hid his head under his wing, clearly done listening. “Very mature, Jong,” Taekwoon rolled his eyes. His dragon ignored him.

“How is it that you’re not even in the Battalion yet and you’re already getting as injured as some of those riders?!” Mimi demanded with a frustrated sigh. “No, I’m not mad at you,” he clarified when Taekwoon looked guilty. “But look,” he gestured at the ugly bruising around his waist. “Just like in your first Trial,” he exhaled, hissing through his teeth. “Maybe worse,” he grimaced, leaning close to touch gently on the colored flesh.

Taekwoon flinched and made a sound in the back of his throat. “Have you seen Jinki?” he asked the Healer as his eyes glanced around the treatment room.

“Of course,” Mimi barked a laugh. “Well, I haven’t but both Henry and Himchan saw him fluttering around the Healing Hall. Letting me do my work without getting in the way.”

“Oh…” the dragonrider sighed, conflicted. He wanted to see Jinki, but he also worried about what the other man was going to say.

“Yeah,” Mimi nodded knowingly. “I am ordering you to get bedrest today. No classes. No training. No Trance. No _nothing_ ,” he iterated expressly. “Let me know if this feels any worse later. And on the morrow, due to recent developments, you have been ordered to see Gain first thing in the morning.”

Taekwoon grimaced. He was fine with the bedrest idea. That sounded quite nice right about now. Especially since it likely meant Jinki would free his own schedule up to be nearby. Probably. Depending on how he felt about this situation. But he was not so ready to see the Paramour. He was sure she had many skills, but despite Satoru’s – and Seunghyun’s – assurances, he just didn’t really see how she would be able to help him. Not that he wouldn’t try, because clearly he needed something, but he just didn’t have a lot of confidence about it.

Of course he didn’t say any of that. “Yes, sir,” was all that came out instead.

“Good,” the Healer nodded, blowing air out of his nose in frustration. “Now. Can you make it back by yourself or should I send one of my assistants with you?” he wondered aloud.

“I can manage,” Taekwoon promised, exhaling slowly as he got off the bed. It hurt and he wouldn’t actually have minded the help, but it would only make Jinki worry more.

He was more than worried enough as it was. “By Bahamut! What happened?!” Jinki gasped, immediately moving close to take Taekwoon’s arm over his shoulder to help him. One hand hovered over the wrappings around his waist and then he looked up to get an answer.

“Flying accident?” Taekwoon shrugged, wincing when the nervous laugh hurt.

“That’s not funny,” Jinki assured him with a worried frown. “Come on. Let’s get you back to the room,” he urged with a deep breath. “Henry already said you were ordered to rest and that’s exactly what you’ll do.”

“How are Jonghyun and Jongup?” he couldn’t help but ask as he looked around to see if his dragons were anywhere nearby.

Jinki’s sigh was audible and Taekwoon knew that was not the right question to ask just then. “They’re fine as far as Hyesung would say. It’s you I’m worried about now. Foolish man,” he grumbled, letting silence fall between them.

It lasted even after they got into their shared living space. Tersely, Jinki set about making sure that Taekwoon was comfortable, but didn’t spend much time actually _looking_ at him. “Hey,” Taekwoon called, reaching out to catch the nearest wrist as Jinki moved about in agitation.

Surprisingly, his other half pulled away but at least stilled. Taekwoon watched him and waited for the words he knew were coming. Jinki bit his lip, took a deep breath, and then exhaled forcefully. “What in the world happened today?!” he demanded, rounding on the dragonrider with fear and concern in equal measure. “And don’t try to tell me it was an accident.”

Taekwoon shut his mouth immediately as that was what he was going to do. “It was a test flight,” he eventually answered quietly.

“And you didn’t think that might be important to let me know?” Jinki asked, hands flailing in front of him.

“It sort of just happened,” the dragonrider explained. Seeing the look on Jinki’s face that showed he didn’t really believe that hurt. “Minsoo was working on a harness idea and he pulled me out of class today. I did tell you Jonghyun stopped accepting the other one,” he defended himself.

Jinki’s jaw worked mutely as he mulled over that response. Eventually, he nodded and swallowed. “Okay, but how did a test flight become this?” he asked, pointing at the newest wound on Taekwoon’s body.

“We’re not really sure,” he admitted, knowing that was not a satisfactory answer.

“Woonie,” Jinki sighed, pulling out the desk chair and sitting in it across from the bed. That wasn’t a good sign.

“I don’t know,” Taekwoon tried again with a shake of his head.

“But you know your dragon. How can you _not know_ why he did something like that today?” his other half rattled off, hands almost panicky in their movements.

Taekwoon winced. And here he had to try and explain something he should have mentioned a while ago… “Because I don’t know my dragon. Not the way I should. Not the way the other riders know theirs.”

A frustrated groan escaped Jinki then. “Why not? What about all the Trance sessions and all the time that you’ve already spent with him?!” he demanded, clearly as lost as Taekwoon was.

“It’s complicated,” the injured rider admittedly dejectedly.

Jinki scoffed with a cross expression. “That’s what he said too,” he mumbled, wiping at his nose with the back of his hand.

“Who?” Taekwoon couldn’t help but ask, brow furrowed.

“Your dragon. When he first brought you back,” he mumbled, not looking at him. “I know things are not always easy but isn’t there a way to make them uncomplicated?” he asked, as if that wasn’t too much to ask.

“I don’t know how,” the rider responded, looking away.

“And you don’t really ask,” Jinki snapped back, crossing his arms over his chest awkwardly. Taekwoon winced at the criticism, but he couldn’t deny it. Neither said anything for a moment as they let the words calm. But then Jinki spoke again, “I get it. You’ve never been one to ask for help outside of class,” he muttered, shaking his head. “I knew that going in. But if you can’t make things less complicated, can’t you at least be honest with me?” he pleaded, clasping his hands together loosely and shaking them at the injured man.

“I am honest with you,” Taekwoon defended, blinking in confusion.

“Woonie,” his other half deadpanned, looking at him with a raised brow. “I had to learn from Satoru that you’re going to start training with a Paramour soon.”

“That’s not what it sounds like,” he countered immediately.

“And I had to hear from Jongin and Wonshik that you aren’t as happy with your dragon as you keep trying to tell me you are!”

Resentment rose. “And why didn’t you just ask?” Taekwoon demanded, feeling equally frustrated. And guilty.

“I shouldn’t have to!” Jinki insisted, hands gesturing like that was a given.

“But there are some things you don’t tell me,” the dragonrider insisted, trying to level the playing field.

“Oh,” Jinki nodded with a bitter laugh. “No. I don’t tell you some things because I can’t! Because of my position as Satoru’s trainee. You don’t tell me things because you don’t want to. Or you _choose_ not to.”

Taekwoon wanted to argue. He wanted to prove Jinki wrong, but he couldn’t. Frustrated, he flailed and tried to explain, “I don’t tell you things sometimes because I don’t think you’d understand.” At the look he got in response, he knew what was very much not a good answer. “I don’t even think _I_ understand half the time,” he added, trying to salvage what he could.

Angry now, Jinki stood up with fire in his eyes and Taekwoon shrank back into his pillows. “Then I suggest you try to find a way to _make_ it understandable. Or at least try in general because it’s getting really hard trying to make this work when it feels like you don’t even want to fight for it.”

“Of course I do!” he blurted in panic, feeling his stomach drop at the direction their conversation went.

“Do you?” Jinki challenged, hurt taking over his face. “Because the last time I checked, you wouldn’t even live for me.” His voice was bitter and broken, and Taekwoon didn’t know how to respond. Fighting back obvious tears, he laughed once and nodded. “I almost died for you, you know?” He shrugged helplessly. “And you… keep almost dying for your dragons,” he exhaled in what sounded bitterly like defeat.

“Jinki,” Taekwoon called plaintively, desperation making him sit up even when it hurt like fire. “My heart,” he added, voice breaking on the name. Jinki’s face started to crumple but he managed to hold it together. “I’m trying to figure things out so that we _can_ work,” he promised as earnestly as he could. “Please don’t give up on me yet,” he begged, reaching out his hand.

Jinki just stood there with balled up fists as he looked at Taekwoon. He didn’t move closer and he didn’t take his hand. “I’ll think about it,” was all he whispered. Then he took a quick breath, put the chair back and stepped outside, leaving Taekwoon alone.

Stunned and feeling more than a little lost, Taekwoon blinked dumbly at the spot where Jinki had just been. “Ugh!” he groaned, smacking himself in the face as he fell back on the bed. Satoru was uncomfortably correct about him. “I’m an idiot…” he scowled, feeling like the worst person in the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trouble, trouble, trouble. It seems to follow Taekwoon like a lost puppy. XD Granted, he doesn't have much control over it when it comes to his dragon but the second part is at least partially self-inflicted. And yes, if you were thinking maybe Hero's reaction was a bit over the top, you wouldn't be entirely wrong. He was being a bit of a butt, but him and Jonghyun just don't see eye to eye yet. As for Jinki, maybe he was overreacting too, but he has put up with a lot lately... >.> We'll get more insight into them both soon though, so stick with me! In the meantime, thank you for reading and I hope you look forward to the next update!


	15. Insights

Instead of trying to reconcile immediately, Taekwoon felt worthless and wrong and he didn’t know what to say… so he didn’t try to say anything yet. In the early mark before sunrise, the dragonrider slowly got ready for the day in an empty room. It felt strange without Jinki’s presence and he wondered where his other half had spent the night. Wherever it was, it was away from Taekwoon, which hurt. Fitting, since the rest of him hurt too. He could only hope that whatever Gain had planned for the day wouldn’t require much of him. Honestly, he didn’t think he had much to give right now.

He checked his wounds under the bandages to make sure they weren’t much worse than the other day. Ugly but acceptable. Hobbling like an invalid, he went for a quick rinse in the private washrooms, though drawing his bucket of water was a true pain. He regretted his choice almost immediately but at least the cold water helped to wake him. Cleaner than he had been, he then made his slow, painstaking way to the kitchens. It was too early for the dining hall to be in full swing, but he didn’t want to run into people anyway.

There was no escaping the Head Cook, however. He took one look at Taekwoon and snorted with a knowing gleam in his eye. “You look like Bahamut chewed you up and spit you out,” he commented, one brow raised almost into the headband around his forehead.

“I feel like it,” the younger man agreed, accepting the meat roll he was handed without complaint.

“Heard you had a rough day yesterday,” he added, turning back to snap his fingers at the apprentice cooks who were listening in a little too hard. Taekwoon nodded mutely and Junjin turned just in time to catch him before he stopped. “Wanna talk about it?” he offered, wiping his hands on the cloth around his apron belt before he leaned on the prep table attentively.

“Not particularly,” the dragonrider shook his head, taking another slow bite of his food.

“You sure?” Junjin asked with a wheedling tone. He turned his head to follow Taekwoon’s gaze when he noticed the younger man looking at the eavesdropping cooks again. “Ah,” he laughed in understanding. “They are a pair of busybodies,” he agreed, giving the two an amused side eyed glare.

“Sorry sir!” they yelped in unison, turning to focus on their task at hand. It was probably better that way since if they burned the morning meal, they’d be the ones to pay.

“Ah well. I imagine you’ll have a busy day today, so you may as well as take another roll before you head out,” Junjin offered, snagging another of the meat rolls and handing it off before Taekwoon could object.

“Does everyone know my business?” he couldn’t help but mutter, still a bit frustrated from the previous evening.

Junjin tilted his head in mild confusion and shrugged. “You’re a new dragonrider. You lot are always busy. Especially when you’re learning the ins and outs of being a rider,” he added, mouth quirking down into a thoughtful frown before he turned to check on his apprentices.

Taekwoon winced internally and took another bite “Thanks, Junjin,” he mumbled, saluting the cook with the roll and then shuffling out the way he’d come. It wasn’t fair for him to react so defensively to the cook. He was just still smarting from the previous night’s conversation. Though in truth, Jinki was right in that he shouldn’t have to ask about certain things. Taekwoon should just be able to offer information that was different from the norm, but it was just easier not to say it if he didn’t… Because then he wouldn’t have to answer any follow up questions or try to explain why things were different when he couldn’t always give good answers. Or at least not satisfactory ones. None of which mattered right now anyway.

The grounds were mostly quiet still but there were a couple early risers. Mostly the newest arrivals and trainees on errands and chores, but a few dragonriders liked the time before sunrise. Why, Taekwoon would never know. Turning his sights to the dragon area, Taekwoon resolutely made his way out to see if he could spy his dragons. He didn’t see them immediately, but at least they’d found a location away from the front of Bahamut’s shrine. They weren’t exactly difficult to locate either. Taekwoon frowned when he saw them essentially out in the open on the plateau, as if banished. His expression softened when he had a chance to really look at them though.

Copper and blue, they looked extraordinarily different, both in color and size, but they complemented each other quite well. His larger size also made it much easier for Jonghyun to keep Jongup tucked under his wing protectively, the long blue tail sticking out from under it while their heads gently circled towards each other. Taekwoon smiled appreciatively at their position and felt happy and proud in that moment. Whether they heard him or felt him coming, he wasn’t sure, but they woke and started to separate just a bit when he got closer. It almost made him sad.

Jongup padded over easily enough. At his full height, he was almost one and a half times taller than Taekwoon at the shoulders, but right now, he was about level with his head. “Hey Jongup,” he smiled, reaching out tentatively to see if the blue would come the rest of the way. The dragon paused and stretched his head out, sniffing at the outstretched fingers before nudging the tips with his nose. “You look good today,” he complimented, noticing only a couple bruises and scratches from when he’d attacked Hero the other day. “One could almost say you walked away from a fight with a silver practically unharmed.”

The blue ducked his head in embarrassment and then preened with a glance back at the copper. Gentle amusement and pride became clear through their bond, and Taekwoon smiled. With a glance down at the second meat roll in his hand, he ambled towards the copper who eyed him unblinking. Unlike the blue, he looked much worse for wear. Though the harness had held like it was supposed to, there were marks where the material had pulled tight against his skin and he had a couple bandaged spots from debris wounds. Not to mention his one wing was not quite folding the way it should and it looked stiff.

“How are you, Jonghyun?” he asked as he placed a hand on the nearest shoulder. Lying down, the copper was taller than he was. Standing upright, he was almost three times the size of Taekwoon.

Jonghyun huffed once and it was obvious he wasn’t exactly comfortable.

“Have you eaten yet?” he asked, looking across the complex towards the livestock pens.

The copper rolled his eyes and turned his head away.

Taekwoon laughed. “I can’t really help you with that, Jong,” he added, using one hand to gesture at his own bruised body. “But you can have this if you want,” he offered, raising the meat roll towards the dragon.

One amber eye rolled back around to see what he was talking about. Amusement roiled through their bond. Taekwoon knew it was ridiculous because it wouldn’t do anything for him, but it was all he had. Grudgingly, Jonghyun swung his head close and tilted it to gingerly bite at the proffered roll.

“Junjin says you’re welcome,” he grinned, daring to rub the snout with his palm. Jonghyun shook his head and pulled away, but he did settle down and rest it back near Taekwoon’s feet. “Still so touchy,” the dragonrider exhaled, sad that he didn’t have the easy rapport that Hyoyeon did with Donghae. Not that he wanted to treat Jonghyun like that, but it would be nice to be accepted at least.

A shiver traveled up his spine and he felt uneasy when he got the distinct impression someone was watching them. Glancing around casually, he wasn’t disappointed when he noticed Captain Yunho and Hero off to the side. He was, however, surprised to see Gain there. Leaning particularly close to Hero, who looked very much like he wanted to run away.

“Taekwoon,” Captain Yunho called with a wave, beckoning the rider over.

“Sorry, Jong. Gotta go,” he apologized, patting the copper’s shoulder once. He was grateful that at least was accepted. Jonghyun took a breath and sighed but didn’t otherwise respond, so Taekwoon turned his attention back to the trio before him. It took him a moment to realize that Gain and Hero were having a conversation. Well, it looked more like Gain was talking and Hero was being talked to, but talking nonetheless. “Captain,” he greeted when he was close enough, offering a small bow. Much deeper and it would have hurt.

Yunho seemed to understand as a sympathetic smile crossed his face. “Gain saw you wandering about this morning and figured now was as good a time as any to get started,” he explained with a shrug. “That and I think she wanted to talk to Hero before you both disappeared for the day,” he added, looking over his shoulder and thoroughly amused by whatever his dragon was feeling.

“For the day?” Taekwoon murmured in confusion, glancing to the gold dragon.

“You never know with things like this,” Yunho shrugged, turning to bow at Gain. “Your ladyship. He is all yours.”

Gain seemed to say one final thing to Hero, who nodded abruptly, and then shook to settle her wings anew. More relaxed, she focused her attention to Taekwoon who could only stare at her in brief awe. With the sun just coming up, she glowed like a golden fire, matched with golden eyes that sparkled when they stared at him. Chirping low in her throat, she nodded her head and started to walk, clearly expecting Taekwoon to follow.

A bit worried about what the day would bring, Taekwoon looked back at Yunho who shooed him along with his hands. Then he glanced at Jonghyun and Jongup, but only the latter was paying him any attention, blue head focused in their direction. He shrugged and waved at the blue who fluttered his wings slightly as if in response. Jonghyun’s tail moved across the ground to circle around in front of Jongup but didn’t do anything more than that. Even then, the blue reacted by pouncing on it playfully, much to the copper’s surprise.

Taekwoon laughed and some of his worry faded away in that moment. It returned in full force, however, when Gain led him inside the Paramour quarters between the dragon homes and the soaking pools. A large opening allowed passage for even the biggest of dragons. In the antechamber, there were two more large portals for dragons and several smaller alcoves covered by cloth and carved into the cliffside. Distinctly different from the rest of the Aerie, this space was decorated to exude comfort, warmth, and sensuality. Ironically, it made Taekwoon uncomfortable.

“You’re up early, Gain,” a bleary eyed Heechul mumbled as he stepped out of a smaller alcove, hair a messy brunette bun atop his head and completely nude. Taekwoon stared in embarrassed surprise until the Paramour noticed he was there. “Oh right,” he nodded, stifling a yawn as he absently reached for a robe on the floor near his door. “Carry on,” he waved, clothing himself in the flimsy fabric before shuffling out of the main entrance.

The dragonrider could practically feel Gain’s amusement as she used her tail to gently corral him into following her again. “Sorry,” he mumbled, ducking his head and shuffling along, praying no other naked persons would appear out of nowhere.

Gain’s chamber was mostly bare. The stone walls had been left largely untouched, though she did have a large woven rug on the smooth floor. She paused at the edge and carefully nudged her talon against his shoed feet before glancing at the dark red fabric.

“Right,” he nodded in understanding, removing his shoes while she calmly walked into the space and turned around, settling easily in front of him. Stepping on the fabric gingerly, he was surprised by how nice it felt. “What now?” he wondered, shuffling closer to her. As before, she tapped at the spot in front of her with her talon expectantly. Taekwoon did so with nervous hesitancy. This close to the gold, it was hard not to feel at least a little bit intimidated. She was larger even than Hero and, as he’d first thought when he met N, she probably could actually swallow him whole if she wanted to.

She huffed to catch his attention and then made a lowering motion with her taloned hand. Taekwoon nodded in understanding, though he flushed mildly as he sat down and tried to make himself comfortable. He knew how this was supposed to work, but he wasn’t sure how long it would take to enter Trance with her.

He looked up with an open mouth to ask but then fell silent as gold eyes captured his. Without warning, he fell. Dark gray landscape hurtled past him and he quickly came to settle on a grassy field. Surprised, he looked around and then watched as the gray turned into blue skies. Taekwoon could only stare until he heard someone behind him. Whirling, he jerked in surprise when he saw a woman instead of a gold dragon. A woman wearing what amounted to a black leather body suit at her core while the rest of her was covered by a sheer black veil.

“Gain?” he gulped, looking her up and down as he began to question what he was doing here.

She followed his gaze and laughed. “Oops.” In the blink of an eye, the outfit faded away and in its place was a tight, black version of riding leathers. “This better?” she asked, her tone a bit teasing.

“Uhh…” he trailed off, grateful only that he himself had clothes on this time. He didn’t know why but he wasn’t going to question it.

“My apologies,” Gain laughed in earnest, amused by his discomfit. “You are not my usual clientele,” she added, changing her clothes once more. This time, she smoothed down the much more casual lady’s dress. The dark red fabric clashed brilliantly with her short gold hair, but at least she was fully covered. “Better?” she gestured, a brilliant smile working its way past his defenses.

“Y-yes,” Taekwoon stammered, swallowing hard and looking around furtively.

“Trance becomes easier with practice,” she offered, clasping her hands before her and walking smoothly towards him.

“Oh,” the dragonrider mumbled, feeling as if this level of ease might well be impossible for him. “Why-?”

“Are you wearing clothes? Is the sky blue and the grass green? Am I a human?” she finished for him, a knowing smile on her full, painted lips.

“Yes,” he nodded slowly, feeling distinctly off balance.

“Because I willed it so,” she explained simply, one hand extending to her side. She curled her fingers up and a tree grew from the ground, large and healthy and strong.

“Bahamut’s teeth!” Taekwoon jumped, staring at the apparent magic.

“I think not,” she shook her head, laughing in bemusement once. “This is my Trance and therefore this world is what I make of it. Now sit,” she gestured behind Taekwoon. He jerked in surprise again when a table and two chairs appeared out of nowhere. “We have much to discuss,” she explained in an ominously serious tone of voice.

“My Symbiosis,” he offered, gingerly taking a seat as if to test the sturdiness of the solid wooden chair.

“Among other things,” Gain agreed with a flippant wave of her hand. “Now,” she began, settling herself primly across from him, fingers interlaced before her on the table. “I didn’t start training with you immediately because I had to observe.” Taekwoon tilted his head in confusion. “You and your dragons of course.”

“Right,” he nodded, licking his lips and feeling foolish.

“There is nothing wrong with your Symbiosis, Taekwoon,” she promised him first, her voice confident and soothing. “It’s unusual and backwards, but not wrong.” Her easy laugh made him want to believe that.

“Then why is it always so wrong when I try with him?” he asked, knowing she would understand who he was talking about.

“Believe it or not, the problem lies almost entirely with Jonghyun,” she sighed, shaking her head. “Young, foolish, insecure dragon that he is.” Her expression was thoughtful but her tone was sad.

“I don’t… understand,” Taekwoon admitted hesitantly, feeling immensely conflicted.

“This is not to say that you share no fault here, however,” she paused, holding up her hand with one long finger extended. “Because of the Symbiosis, Jonghyun has accepted you as his rider. This does not mean he has accepted you as an equal. In all honesty, he probably respects your mate more in this regard.” That made Taekwoon wince. “As I have been told, he fought quite hard for you.”

And that was more of a gut punch. It felt like the wind had been knocked from Taekwoon and he exhaled slowly. “So I’ve heard,” he agreed in a tight voice. “But I fought Jonghyun as well. And won,” he had to add, feeling just a touch of resentment.

It amused Gain and she laughed in delight. “Of course you did. Else you probably wouldn’t be here now. But you defeated him when he was a man, new to the form and unable to fight back properly.”

“How did you…?” he trailed off in confusion.

“I know how Symbiosis works, rider,” she reminded him with a smirk. “I went through it once myself.” Taekwoon wanted to bang his head against the table in embarrassment. Gain was a Paramour which meant she was a formerly bonded dragon. None of this was new to her. “In your case, however, Jongup altered the outcome. Satoru mentioned that he tried to join _your_ Trance but was only partially successful.”

Taekwoon had to tamp down on his annoyance at his business being spoken about again. It made sense but it was still frustrating. “Yes. But he was trapped in both forms. Man and dragon. At the time, I thought he was going to die.”

“He would have,” Gain promised simply, blinking golden eyes once. She explained, “If he had been unable to reconcile his two forms, his body would have failed. Dying here would have killed him out there,” she finished, gesturing to what lay beyond this space. “Why didn’t you let him?” she asked curiously. “He was not your dragon to bind or worry about at that point.”

“I couldn’t- He was Jonghyun’s _mate_ ,” he stated as if that explained it. “He… reminded me of Jinki,” he trailed off, feeling as if it wasn’t reason enough, but knowing in his heart it was. Not in appearance of course, but he felt like what Jinki might have felt like in that situation. It was… complicated.

“Interesting,” she purred, resting her elbow on the table so she could prop her chin on her hand. “You saved the dragon because you were thinking of _your_ mate but would have accepted death and losing Jinki.”

“Yes,” he groaned, slumping forward so that his chin could rest on the table. No matter his reasoning, that much was true.

“Still feeling guilty about that are we?” she asked sympathetically.

“Probably forever,” he mumbled without pause.

“Well, that explains why Jongup is conflicted about you,” Gain encouraged, the positive note enough to make him look up. “Indebted to you for saving his life, but intelligent enough to be resentful. He did not gain the full blessing of Symbiosis but because he was a part of your Trance and is bound to his own mate, he shares in some of the… changes,” she explained. “Well, you did attack him with no warning and tried to bind him before you nearly stole _his_ mate. Or what he thought was you trying to steal his mate,” the gold amended with a shrug.

“That’s something at least,” Taekwoon agreed, a little happy and reassured about that. He had thought Jongup was more receptive to him, but it was hard to tell with Jonghyun being so overprotective.

“And it brings us to Jonghyun,” she stated firmly, a troubled sound to her voice. “He does not respect you. In fact, it’s very clear he resents you.” At Taekwoon’s confused frown, she clarified. “For almost killing his mate. For cheating to beat him as it were. Human to human. For incidentally forcing him into this bond. For bringing him into a life he didn’t choose or likely want. As you might have guessed, Jonghyun is a strong copper that has probably never been directly challenged in the wild. He has the same problem with Hero,” she chuckled, shaking her head. “And the silver knucklehead is taking it personal. Hence…” she gestured towards where Taekwoon’s injuries would be.

“I knew that was a strong response for Jonghyun’s antics the other day,” he muttered darkly, annoyed.

“Yes. And that is a problem that will need to be resolved in time, but our first goal is to fix _your_ relationship with him.”

“And how are we going to do that?” the dragonrider wondered cautiously. He did not like the excited gleam in her eyes.

“I’m going to teach you to be a dragon,” she grinned, an almost predatory expression.

“Eh?”

“And then you’re going to challenge him as a dragon in Trance. And win. Thus forcing him to respect you as an equal,” she went on as if he wasn’t already panicking at the mere idea of even talking to his dragon, much less fighting, in Trance.

“That’s impossible!” he quailed automatically.

“Of course it’s not,” she scoffed, standing up and gesturing towards him firmly.

Taekwoon felt physically sick as his body twisted and changed in heartbeats. His human form disappeared in the wake of bronze skin, large wings, and teeth and fangs. He roared in panicked surprise, backing away in fear.

“Calm down,” Gain shushed him, following easily despite their size difference. “My Trance. My world. Remember?” she reminded him, grabbing his jaw in both hands to force him to meet her gaze, gold eyes to amber.

The bronze dragon whimpered, hunching uncomfortably in on himself.

“Oh do relax,” she encouraged, patting his nose soothingly. “While Jonghyun won’t teach you how to talk and act like a dragon, I can and will. And I will also teach you to fight like one too,” the gold added, looking at him with a pleased expression. “While you could probably earn his respect in time, there are far too many opportunities for more accidents to happen if you do. Not to mention a decided lack of trained dragons and riders in the Aerie already… So we’re going to speed up the process,” she explained, eyes trailing over him with a pleased look. “You’re a nice _big bronze_ as well,” she grinned. “I won’t have to worry about hurting you too easily.” Her delight was almost palpable. “Oh, I haven’t fought here in so long. This is going to be so much fun!” she cheered, almost skipping in place.

Fun was not the term Taekwoon suspected he would use.

Having had some time to think about things and cool off, Jinki knew very well that he had probably overreacted the other evening. While he meant a lot of what he said, he could have phrased things differently… as Henry had kindly told him when he sought refuge in his company. The apprentice healer was a very good listener, if nothing else, and not nearly as difficult to talk to as Mimi, if only because he wasn’t a Master yet.

Like an older brother, Henry had also gone to the morning meal with Jinki as moral support, but they were both a bit surprised when they didn’t see Taekwoon there. “Maybe he’s sleeping?” Henry had offered helpfully, trying not to jade Jinki’s thoughts.

“Maybe,” he’d responded, though he was more inclined to think the other man was avoiding him. And likely wallowing in guilt. Neither of which made him inclined to well… anybody.

He was so bloody foolish sometimes. Taekwoon could fearlessly run _at_ an angry dragon without batting an eye. But he was remarkably skittish about confrontation with Jinki. Admittedly, he didn’t like arguing either, but they happened sometimes in meaningful conversations. Only, when they argued, for some reason it always seemed as if Taekwoon thought they were breaking…

“I just wish he would talk to me,” he exhaled tiredly while seated in Satoru’s office as the Aerie Master worked on a missive he was preparing to send.

“He still hasn’t?” Satoru grumbled, glancing over his shoulder with a cross expression.

“Not really,” Jinki sighed, slouching further in the cushioned seat.

“He certainly likes to make his own mistakes, doesn’t he,” he murmured as if to himself, a definite hint of disappointment in the tone.

“That he does,” Jinki agreed with a slow nod.

Satoru paused and turned about in his chair. “Would tea help?” he wondered openly.

“No thank you,” his apprentice declined with a laugh, shaking his head.

“I’m not going to put you to sleep,” the Aerie Master laughed gently. “And really. That was a mercy before,” he reminded him.

“If you say so,” Jinki snorted before resting his elbows on his knees and leaning forward. When Satoru didn’t say anything after a moment, he went on hesitantly, “Taekwoon was a bit frustrated with me for not telling him some things.”

The Aerie Master laughed but it was not a happy sound. “Yes, well. It does one like him no good to hear about a Dawnbringer wing harrying the northern coast of Kinshire and the appearance of a _band_ of rogue dragons cropping up near Kokoshir. Not to mention more requests from the sister cities throughout for mediating wings to come and help with tensions that have been rising between trading partners.”

Jinki winced at the reminder. Jongin had left for Kokoshir recently and he prayed that he did not run into the rogues. The news of the Dawnbringer wing north of Bahamut’s Aerie was also troubling, but it would be met by another wing from the Stardust Battalion and hopefully settle that problem. As for the increase in requests for mediation aide… that was a troubling sign in the numbers they had started to receive them. One every few moons was not unexpected. They’d received three in the last two only. “Wouldn’t it be better for this kind of news to be common knowledge though?” he wondered, and not for the first time.

“And make everyone else worry the way we do with very little to be done for it right now?” Satoru asked softly as he padded around to take a seat across from Jinki. His face took on a playfully wicked smile as he added, “I didn’t know you had that kind of mean streak in you.”

“Satoru,” the trainee groaned, though he nodded in understanding. “Commander Eric _is_ sending two wings out tomorrow, isn’t he?” Jinki asked, his voice subdued. The Aerie Master nodded in silent confirmation. “Will they be alright?” he couldn’t help but ask, biting his lip on the answer.

“Only Bahamut knows,” Satoru sighed with a helpless shrug. “In days past, I would have said yes,” he went on, surprising Jinki. “But now, I feel we are not as strong as we should be. We are certainly not as strong as the Aerie of old was,” he added darkly, expression clouded.

Leaning forward, Jinki gestured hesitantly. “We could ask High Priest Kevin for help. Surely, he could provide guidance or assistance with recruits or dragons?” he offered, reaching for some strand of reassuring hope.

“No,” Satoru shook his head, voice strangely flat. “I think it best that we don’t… disturb the Priest with Aerie… problems,” he murmured, as if choosing his words with care. It made Jinki look at him more closely. “Besides, having him here more than once a year is more than enough,” he laughed in earnest, back to his usual self then.

“If you say so,” Jinki shrugged, conflicted about what he’d heard versus what he’d observed.

The Aerie Master chuckled and then glanced around thoughtfully. “Goodness. What is the time?” he asked, looking for some kind of timepiece. Jinki glanced out the window and figured it was heading towards dusk with the dimming light. “I fear I have kept you too long today,” Satoru chided himself.

“It’s fine,” Jinki denied immediately. “I was more worried that I was bothering you,” he admitted, getting to his feet slowly. He knew a dismissal when he heard one.

“Not at all, Jinki,” Satoru smiled at him with earnest pleasure. “I enjoyed your company.”

“At least someone does,” Jinki said, meaning for it to be a joke, but it came out more strained and bitter than it should have. He jerked in surprise and raised his hand to cover his mouth, shaking his head in denial. “I didn’t mean that.”

Satoru chuckled in understanding amusement. “I’m sure Taekwoon enjoys your company too,” he reassured the younger man with a firm clap on his shoulder. “He’s just… young,” he explained, face scrunching as he chose his word with care.

“He’s eighteen,” Jinki scoffed. More than old enough to have become a soldier in the King’s guard or to marry and start having children elsewhere.

“Sheltered then,” Satoru amended with a careless shrug.

“The Aerie is hardly a forgiving environment,” he teased back, feeling comfortably at ease around the much older man.

“You are being intentionally dense,” the Aerie Master mock scolded, giving his shoulder a gentle shove towards the door. “Now off with you, young one. I’ve work to do and you’ve bothered me enough,” he winked, slipping his hands inside his sleeves.

“Thank you, Master Satoru,” Jinki grinned, giving a partial bow as he stepped out of the doors carefully. He was tempted to take a moment and investigate the crack in the mural, but figured it could wait for another time. Stepping out into the open air, he could see that it was indeed heading into the dusk marks. With a feeling of nervous tension, he looked up and watched the handful of flying dragons, wondering which ones would be leaving on the morrow. Following one to the ground, he noticed a blue and a copper walking together near the dragon caves. But they were looking at something. Curious, Jinki turned his head to look too and noticed Taekwoon very slowly making his way out of the… Paramour quarters.

He immediately had to remind himself that Taekwoon had mentioned it wasn’t what it sounded like. And besides. He was still quite hurt from the other day, as even a blind person could see at this point. If nothing else, his niggling concern about his other half’s state of health was enough to make him jog over to check on him. “Woonie?” he asked, pausing just out of range though he wanted to move close and support him. He looked like he needed it.

“Jinki?” the dragonrider mumbled, turning his head as if he was slow to hear him.

“You okay?” Jinki asked, looking the other man over with a critical eye. No new bruises but he was quite sweaty and very… exhausted by all appearances. Maybe nauseous too, if the look on his face was any indication.

“You know that feeling when you run too hard for too long?” Taekwoon mumbled as if in a daze.

“No,” Jinki admitted with no idea what he was talking about. He yelped in frightened surprise when the dragonrider abruptly turned and got sick, hurling up a thin stream of vomit at his feet. “Woonie!”

“I’m good!” he croaked, flailing one hand back to ward the other man off. Jinki doubted that, but he watched carefully as Taekwoon stood upright and managed to take a breath. To his credit, he didn’t look quite as bad. “That helped actually,” he exhaled, relaxing a bit.

“What happened?” Jinki asked with a raised brow, glancing at the Paramour quarters and then back to his other half.

“Pushed myself too hard,” he mumbled in mild embarrassment, though he managed a determined look at his dragon before he glanced down again.

“Eh?” Jinki chirped, clearly confused. “Pushed yourself too hard? Doing what?” It was an honest question, really. There weren’t too many things that happened in the Paramour quarters that he knew of…

“My heart,” Taekwoon groaned with a raised hand as he looked up pitifully, almost pleading in his behavior. “I have just spent all day. With Gain. As a dragon. In Trance,” he punctuated each phrase with a chopping motion of his hand.

“Eh…?” There were even fewer things that happened in that scenario…

“Please,” Taekwoon begged. “We can talk later but I can barely think straight right now. I just need… rest,” he assured the other man, half-heartedly reaching one hand as if to grab Jinki’s but then stopping as if that took too much energy. “Healer’s orders,” he added, almost as an afterthought.

Jinki didn’t even know how to respond to that, but apparently Taekwoon wasn’t really looking for an answer. It seemed as if he was truly distracted for he started hobbling off at his agonizingly slow pace without looking back. Immensely conflicted, Jinki looked from Taekwoon to Jonghyun and Jongup. At least they looked moderately as confused as him. He looked back to the rider and then to the entrance to the Paramour quarters. No answers there.

Well, he could go and ask. But they probably couldn’t tell him. But he should ask, just to be sure. Did he really want to know though? “Oh Bahamut’s scales,” he grumbled, firming his resolve and stepping into the antechamber. “Hello?” he called out when he didn’t see anyone in the immediate vicinity.

“Just a moment,” Hyosung’s voice called out from one of the alcoves. In far less time, the immaculately dressed young woman with artfully styled hair stepped out and gave him a brilliant smile. “Jinki! What brings you here?” she asked coyly, batting her lashes in a playfully teasing manner.

He immediately held up his hand in warding and shook his head. “Not that,” he assured her with a tight laugh.

“I know. I just wanted to tease you a bit. Heechul seems to be rubbing off on me,” she laughed gently, moving close to stand in front of him with her hands gently clasped before her. “What can I do for you?” she asked with honest interest.

“Umm,” he hummed, not sure how to ask without sounding… well, nosy or too sad. “I just saw Taekwoon and he mentioned he spent the day with Gain?” he wondered with a shrug and a helpless expression.

“Oh right,” Hyosung nodded. “He did,” she confirmed without hesitation. “No, I can’t tell you what they were doing,” she answered for him. Her smile was bemused for a moment before she added, “I honestly don’t know. I heard something about special training, but beyond that, your guess is as good as mine. But Gain seemed pleased with him though,” she went on with a thoughtful look at the gold dragon’s entryway.

“Oh. Okay,” Jinki nodded, licking suddenly dry lips. “Umm… thank you,” he went on, bowing awkwardly.

She turned and looked at him strangely for a moment before she realized how that could have sounded. “Oh! I don’t think it was anything like _that_ ,” she tried to say, waving the possibility off as quickly as she could.

“You’re probably right,” Jinki forced himself to agree, though his voice was tight.

“Oh Bahamut. Just ask him,” she called after the retreating man, sounding slightly troubled.

“I will,” he waved to try and placate her. “Thanks.” Clearly today wasn’t a good day for it. Tomorrow? Who knew? But shouldn’t he just trust Taekwoon too? He had told him about it, sort of, and he was relatively positive the other man wasn’t interested in women or dragons that way. “Ugh…” he groaned, slouching as he wandered into the open space again. He thought he felt someone looking at him so he paused and glanced to his right. Jonghyun and Jongup. “What?” he asked in a grumpy tone. The blue tilted his head and the copper huffed as if he was snorting. Jinki frowned slightly and then sighed again. “Complicated indeed,” he murmured, recalling the copper’s words from not that long ago.

Why couldn’t anything ever just be simple?! People, dragons, life…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do enjoy writing the Paramours. haha And at least we are getting a bit of insight into both parties now. Plus a couple more happenings and explanations for things that are going on outside of here. If you have any questions about anything here or if something doesn't make sense, by all means, let me know. I'm trying to make sure everything is as clear as it can be given the situation and I welcome the criticism that helps me see past my blind spots. heh Thank you!


	16. Reflection

He really did mean to talk to Jinki. It was very much on his list of things to do. But… stuff just kept coming up, for both of them it seemed. Somewhat disappointingly but not entirely surprisingly, Jinki didn’t join Taekwoon in their shared room that night or the following. Taekwoon would have been more alarmed or worried, except he had every reason to focus on his current task at hand.

That first day, he truly had pushed himself too hard. Or rather, Gain had. She was relentless and, in her own way, just as bad as Seunghyun. If she wasn’t switching between her forms to explain what the body language of the dragons translated to, she was teaching him how to fight and move as a dragon. Taekwoon had thought he was a decent fighter as a man; that did not mean he was a decent fighter as a dragon.

More like a child learning to walk, according to Gain. Which galled. And hurt. Because while he might have been childlike in his dragon form, she did not treat him as such, preferring a more sink or swim approach. And when he was literally knocked out of Trance, either because they were both frustrated or she actually knocked him unconscious, that merely meant it was break time.

The only blessing was that none of it affected his physical form unless she managed to leave bruises. To her credit, she was too good a fighter to risk damaging him all that much, but it didn’t mean he was unaffected by the sessions. Training in Trance felt almost exactly like training in the combat ring, but he was even more exhausted after the fact. And that was _before_ he was cleared to resume training with Seunghyun again.

After his ‘healing’ sevenday, Taekwoon was quickly ushered into a blurring cycle of training with Seunghyun in the mornings, hitting his classes after that just to keep up, and then finishing the day in training with Gain. Due to the nature of his situation, she had cleared her schedule almost completely and was focusing on him intently, which was partially to her benefit. She enjoyed their sessions. He didn’t. Not at first anyway. It was hard to enjoy something you felt like you were perpetually failing at.

To be fair, his meals were still his own, and he did eat with the rest of the Aerie, but he had no energy for their conversations. He half-heartedly fielded their questions and mostly listened to the chatter of the riders and the residents.

Two wings had been dispatched recently and they had yet to return. No wonder the Aerie felt a bit emptier than usual. Not that there were all that many dragons in a wing (usually around six). He and Jinki still weren’t really talking, though they looked at each other almost constantly when they were in the same space. He knew he wanted to talk and he figured Jinki did too, but until something happened to change things, it was just easier… not to. Especially since he was making progress and, as usual, he didn’t think Jinki would understand why this was so important. Why it was so all consuming.

Well, he’d probably understand that part. But Taekwoon didn’t think he’d understand why he had to push himself so hard. Why he had to do this as quickly as possible. Knowing Jinki, he’d say there was time and that he should slow down, but he couldn’t. This half existence between him and Jinki and him and his dragons was maddening. But if he could overcome it, everything would get better. Because the sooner he succeeded here, the sooner things could go back to a semblance of normal. Hopefully.

In the interim when he wasn’t training or eating or sleeping, he spent time with his dragons, though per Gain’s instructions, he had to be careful not to let on what he was learning. It would be good for him to start trying to read his dragons and Trance was acceptable as well, but if Jonghyun began to suspect that Taekwoon might actually be becoming a worthy match, it would make things more difficult. And if Taekwoon was able to succeed on the first try, it would prove – however much the copper might not want to admit – that he was being lazy and needed to do better in general.

At first, it felt impossible. Taekwoon’s dragon form was large and strong but clumsy and unresponsive. He stepped on his wings as often as not and couldn’t mount a decent defense. Gain toyed with him like a cat toying with a mouse and it only served to irritate him further. But eventually, the lessons started sticking. He began to get more comfortable in his dragon body, which translated to a greater comfort in the training circle as well. Seunghyun allowed him to resume training with weapons and that dexterous requirement allowed him to improve more in Trance in turn, the training sessions symbiotic. Consumed with his training, the sevendays continued to pass.

According to Satoru, there was certainly something to be said for there being peace in ignorance. Jinki usually preferred to know what was going on – it was almost a requirement of wanting to be an Aerie Master after all, but there were days he envied that lack of knowledge in others. He missed the days where he didn’t hear about alliances between cities being strained due to imagined slights and petty offenses. It actually pained him to hear about the sometimes missing formerly bound dragons the cities often asked about when they couldn’t find them. On occasion, they would send missives asking to see if their contracted dragon had settled in the Aerie by chance, and it never sat right with Jinki that they had to tell them no. And it actually scared him to get word of fighting between dragons, wild or otherwise. Someone always got hurt or worse.

That last one bothered him the most because it always opened the old wound that came back to Taekwoon. He had such a habit, it seemed, of coming back injured already and he wasn’t even in the Battalion yet. Jinki knew that as soon as he joined a wing, his greatest fear had a much higher chance of coming to pass. That the next time Taekwoon took to the sky, he might not come back, and that was something he hadn’t quite found a way to accept yet. He had very nearly lost him once already, and it still hurt that he would have allowed himself to die, but it also scared him because he didn’t know what he would do if that actually happened.

He knew he needed to talk to someone about it, but it took him a little while to admit who the best person might be. Satoru at least noticed he was conflicted and tried to keep him distracted with tasks and errands he would have given to Yongguk. He needed the Aerie Master in Training to help with writing messages and what judgements they could in lieu of sending full wings of dragons out and about. This of course gave Jinki plenty of time to run around and see Taekwoon from afar and outside of the dining hall. Sometimes that included heading to and from the Paramour quarters, but usually it meant he was in the Combat Training hall, which Jinki was happy enough to make a detour towards to see how he was doing there.

Even with their falling out, which admittedly had been just as much his doing as Taekwoon’s, he was both proud and amazed with what his other half could do. He wasn’t nearly as skilled as Seunghyun in the training ring, but it still felt like watching him dance when they sparred. Mostly. There were moments he changed just enough and Jinki could see this predatory look in him that at least made him nervous. It came and went quickly, but it was a new face, gained from after he became a rider. It was another thing he hadn’t quite come to terms with. Despite the fact that he did want to become an Aerie Master, dragons as a rule made him at least a tiny bit nervous.

They were just so large and potentially dangerous. He knew they were intelligent – in the Aerie at least – and that they wouldn’t actively try to harm people under most circumstances, but accidents happened. Only, when they happened with a dragon, the results could be quite bad, as he’d learned nearly first hand when he was younger. The fact that his partner had moments where he developed draconic tendencies, and that his one dragon in particular was so unpredictable, unsettled him. He thought he would be fine with it, but it was taking longer to get used to than he wanted to admit. Much to his own shame.

Eventually, after several days of letting things lie and pretending things were okay in public company, when everyone knew they weren’t, Jinki finally went to try and talk to Gain. He knew better than to go during Taekwoon’s training time in the evening, but her mornings and afternoons were more flexible, depending on her schedule. And he didn’t have afternoon classes to go to either so his time was free, so long as he cleared it with Satoru first, which he did.

The gold dragon wasn’t in the immediate area when Jinki wandered into the Paramour quarters. Neither was Hyosung, but Heechul was. The elegant man was lounging on one of their cushioned sofas, wearing a loose finely woven robe and nibbling on a snack he had probably snagged from the kitchens. On the table next to him was a cup of half-finished tea. He perked up with interest when he spied Jinki standing in the entryway.

It was slightly unnerving watching the thought process run across Heechul’s face as the Paramour quickly went through the reasons as to why Jinki was there. Nor did it take long for an amused smirk to cross his malleable features as he shook his head. “No, we can’t talk to you about what Taekwoon’s been up to,” he chided preemptively, a sly look pinning the other man in place as he nibbled on the treat. “Paramour and client privilege and all.”

Jinki hurriedly shook his head, hands rising to wave off the thought. His first attempt had been a mistake anyway and he wasn’t about to try and repeat it. “I wasn’t here for him. I uh… was here for me,” he started uncertainly, biting on his top lip when he finished speaking.

Heechul’s brows rose and he blinked twice. “Oh?” he practically purred, an intrigued feline waiting for more.

“I was wondering if Gain was available?” he went on, still feeling very much out of sorts. It was funny because he could speak with them just fine when he was here on Aerie business but when it was personal, nerves turned his belly to stone.

“That’s an interesting choice for you,” the Paramour commented, looking the younger man up and down once.

Jinki’s cheeks burned but he nodded. “She’s the only formerly bonded dragon I know…” he explained with a helpless shrug.

“Ah,” Heechul breathed, mouth opening as an understanding sound poured out. “I see,” he went on, deftly setting the remains of his snack down on the edge of the saucer and standing up with enviable grace. “Let me check on her. I believe she’s napping,” he murmured thoughtfully, gaze turning towards the archways designed to accommodate her larger body.

“Oh. Should I come back at a different time?” he asked quickly, determined to see this through but trying to be polite all the same.

“Nonsense,” the Paramour scoffed with a wave of his hand. “Sit. I’ll be right back,” he urged, easily guiding Jinki to the sofa he had just vacated before he walked off quickly.

“Okay,” Jinki nodded to himself, hands fiddling on top of his legs as he waited. The interior was comfortable enough: a couple more cushioned chairs nearby and a throw that could be shaken out as needed on the ground. They had a couple indoor plants in neat little pots and all the human doorways had cloth coverings over them. He stopped looking though when he noticed Heechul returning from the larger doorway.

“She _was_ napping,” Heechul laughed lightly, stepping close enough to offer his hand to Jinki. “But she would be happy to speak with you,” he added, pulling the other man to his feet with deceptive strength.

“Thank you,” Jinki murmured almost shyly. He had hoped to be seen soon, but he wasn’t exactly expecting to get in so quickly. It was both gratifying and nerve-wracking. Mutely, he nodded and walked down the hall to Gain’s chamber. The large gold dragon was curled up on the far side, her head pointed towards the doorway. A large red rug covered a significant portion of the stone floor. Jinki stopped at the edge and swallowed, quickly looking over to her.

Gain tilted her head as she regarded him but then pointed at his shoes before lowering her hand to the rug.

Even without words, Jinki could fairly guess what she wanted him to do. Carefully, he took his shoes off and eased onto the rug before he sat down to face her. He stiffened and inhaled when she drew close, her head larger than him when he was sitting. His reaction did not go unnoticed. She paused and turned her head to the side, drawing her mouth away from him to look at him from the side of her eye instead. Jinki was both grateful for her consideration and ashamed at his own reaction. But he had little time to worry about it. Once he met her eye, he managed a surprised gasp before he was pulled into Trance with swift ease.

Like when he’d experienced Trance with Jonghyun, he fell in a world of gray. Unlike when he’d experienced Trance with Jonghyun, it quickly gave way to green fields and blue skies as he landed. Followed even more strangely by a very attractive woman walking into view wearing an elegant deep red dress and crowned in short golden hair. “You’re a human,” he immediately blurted, pointing and flushing at the same time.

Gain laughed in delight, one hand rising to partially hide her mouth. “That I am,” she agreed with a nod before moving to stand in front of him. “And welcome to my Trance, Jinki,” she greeted warmly, her eyes gold even in human form. “Heechul mentioned you wanted to speak with me?” she prompted, summoning a table and chairs with a wave of her hand.

Jinki blinked in dumbfounded astonishment and then carefully took the nearest chair as he nodded acceptance. This was not at all what he’d been expecting. “I do.”

“Considering I know you’re not here for my usual services, what can this intrigued Paramour help you with?” she grinned, sitting down and leaning forward with her elbows on the table and her chin in her hand.

“Well… you’re the only formerly bonded dragon I know and I wanted…” he trailed off, not really sure how to ask.

He didn’t need to finish his sentence for her expression to become more subdued and a sad smile crossed her face. “You are worried about Taekwoon.” It wasn’t a question.

“Always,” Jinki sighed, a pained frown crossing his face as he looked down.

Gain’s laugh surprised him and he looked up to see her shaking her head. “Spoken like a true partner to a dragonrider. My rider was often worried about too…” she admitted, trailing off slowly.

Her expression made him sad and worried. Biting his lip, he took a breath and tried to put his thoughts into words. “It’s just… I’ve almost lost him a couple times already. Or at least it feels like it. And it just scares me,” he admitted, resting his hands on the table as he swallowed hard. Gain nodded in understanding and just looked at him for a long moment. She didn’t speak yet as he knew she saw he still had a question. Wincing, he had to ask, “How did your rider manage to do this knowing what might happen?”

“She loved hard when she had the chance and she had me like I had her,” Gain answered honestly, her tone wistful and a little sad.

Jinki nodded in understanding. That made sense, but he was a little nervous about his next question. He fiddled with his fingers on the tabletop and only went on when Gain raised one brow at him. Frowning again, he murmured, “Because you were so close, was it ever hard for you when she was with other people?”

“No,” Gain waved off immediately, a knee jerk reaction, but then she paused and looked at him, her gaze becoming thoughtful and a tiny bit amused. “Oh,” she hummed with a light laugh, shaking her head.

“What?” Jinki mumbled, ducking his head a bit as he uncomfortably waited for her answer.

“You’re jealous,” she grinned, pointing one perfect nail at him.

“No I’m not,” he retorted automatically, sitting upright at the statement.

Her expression became coy as she sat upright to mirror him. “Their relationship is hardly the strongest right now, but everyone knows Taekwoon has been very focused on his dragons of late.”

“I know that. I expected that,” Jinki reminded her a little too quickly.

“Knowing and experiencing are two _very_ different things, my dear,” she chided him with another shake of her head. “You are so much Satoru’s shadow that everyone seems to forget how young you are,” she added with a raised brow. “You’ve never had to share Taekwoon before and you don’t know how to react now.” He glared at her in irritation but didn’t deny it. “Remember, I watched you two grow up,” she reminded him pointedly.

Reluctantly, Jinki sighed and nodded. “Maybe a little,” he admitted with a glum tone, feeling very crappy for it. “I know he still cares for me but it feels like he just worries about them more,” he explained, slouching in his seat.

Gain laughed in earnest then and Jinki frowned until she spoke. “He doesn’t worry about you as much because he knows where he stands with you. Mostly,” she amended with a snort. “He’s still trying to figure out where he is with them. The binding guarantees a bond. It doesn’t guarantee a relationship. But any good rider has to have a good relationship with his dragon. He knows this and is trying to make it happen,” she explained simply.

“But why does it sometimes feel like I’m losing him?” he whined, there was no other way to say it.

“Because things are changing and now you have to share his heart,” she chuckled, holding up her hand to keep him from responding. “But remember, a person can have more than one love. And it’s not to say that he is _in_ love with his dragons. Everyone can see he remains in love with _you_ ,” she pointed at him firmly. “As for Jonghyun and Jongup… you can think of them more like his brothers,” she explained with a nod.

“Brothers that make me nervous,” he grumbled, looking away. He didn’t like the answers he was getting but he couldn’t deny them. They made sense, even if it stung to really take them to heart.

“Why do they make you nervous?” she wondered honestly, back to resting her chin in her hand.

“Because they’re dragons,” he started easily enough, a wave of his hand gesturing to all dragons. “Also because he almost killed me. And almost killed Taekwoon,” he added, thinking it over with a nod. “And Hero did _accidentally_ step on my first mentee when I was younger…” he trailed off with a grimace.

Gain shrugged in silent agreement at the secondary answers. “It’s normal for dragons to make people nervous. And in your case, you have more reason than most. But have you even _tried_ getting close to his dragons?”

“No,” Jinki admitted grumpily, shoulders bowed again.

“Perhaps you should start there then,” she suggested.

Jinki grimaced and sighed. “But Jonghyun is scary. I mean, Jongup doesn’t seem that bad. I think I’d actually like him, but Jonghyun…”

“Is overprotective,” Gain answered for him with a nod. She thumbed at her bottom lip thoughtfully before continuing. “We are very protective of what we think is ours. And we will defend such things fiercely, without rational thought at times,” she laughed. “You might recall how Jongup attempted to take on Hero not that long ago. Foolish blue but very devoted to his mate,” she grinned, obviously delighted by the reaction.

“Do you think… Taekwoon feels that way about me?” he wondered in a small voice, recalling recent moments where he’d seen that shift come over his other half. He knew the triggers but he did seem to be the cause of more of them…

Gain laughed once and gave him an amused look with one raised brow. “While I know you’re referring to his dragon half, I can’t answer that for you, Jinki. And I suspect you already know the answer anyway,” she lightly reprimanded him. “Also, you do have to remember this all quite new to him too. Just as it’s challenging for you, it’s challenging for him as well.”

“I know,” Jinki sighed under his breath and nodded.

“Do you?” she asked quickly.

Jinki winced and wrinkled his nose. “I’m beginning to.”

“Good,” Gain chirped with a satisfied nod. “Now, is there anything else or shall we call it? I do have an afternoon client but there is no rush yet,” she explained deftly.

Jinki’s cheeks colored at the mention of a client and even if he did have a question, it was promptly forgotten. “No,” he shook his head, placing his hands on the table and leaning back in the chair. “Thank you for your help, lady Gain,” he nodded instead, bowing towards her.

“My pleasure, Jinki,” she smiled, standing up quickly. “While we are not healers like Hyesung or Mimi, I would say that most Paramours are… fixers of a sort,” she laughed, giving him a brief curtsy before giggling in delight at her own antics. “Now. Off you go,” she gestured, giving him a brief warning before she kicked him out of Trance.

It was much softer than the last time he’d exited Trance and Jinki came back to himself in his own body with far fewer aches and pains. He was a bit disoriented and fell to the side before he caught himself. “Okay,” he exhaled, blinking and suddenly focusing on the intimidatingly large gold dragon in front of him. “Oh! Right,” he nodded and pointed.

Gain huffed once in amusement and pulled her head back before standing up and literally offering her hand for Jinki. Eyeing the talons nervously, he did at least grab hold and allow her to raise him to his feet with ease.

“Thank you,” he murmured abashedly. She chirped and nodded once before gesturing towards the door. Awkwardly, Jinki waved and backed off the rug before he snagged his shoes and hurried out of the room. While not the happiest of conversations, it had been fairly enlightening. Heechul wasn’t in the open room when he stepped out but Hyosung was, lounging on the sofa the other Paramour had been in previously.

“Back again?” she inquired with a bright, mischievous smile.

“I needed to speak to Gain,” he hurriedly explained, pointing over his shoulder as if to verify his statement.

She held up her hands and smiled harder. “No judgement here,” Hyosung reminded him. “I am curious though. Did you find what you were looking for?” she wondered aloud.

Jinki paused with a furrowed brow as he took her question to heart. Eventually, he nodded slowly and answered, “I think I did.”

“Good,” was all she said in response before leaning back on the sofa and taking a deep relaxed breath.

Of course it wasn’t easy to take a look at one’s self and really see what might be there, but Gain’s words had made a lot of sense. He took the next few days to really think about things as he went about his daily life in the Aerie. Henry was still a reliable listening ear in the evenings, but his current room was rather bare and lonely. He missed Taekwoon and knew that if they could just talk, they could figure things out. But… there was something he wanted to at least try first. On his own and without Taekwoon’s help or guidance.

Outside of worrying about what was happening beyond the Aerie – including a missing Priest of Bahamut, strange tensions between the main cities of Marsh Rest and Samut, and a request for help from one of the villages relatively near Miremaw to deal with what they suspected was a rogue dragon – Jinki was determined to at least introduce himself to Taekwoon’s dragons. Okay, so maybe he was just going to get close to Jonghyun if possible and perhaps try to say something to Jongup, but it was a start.

He had been a bit churlish and childish about them recently. For various reasons. But… they were very much a part of Taekwoon’s life and as such, that meant they would also be a part of his life. If he stayed with Taekwoon anyway. Which he fully intended to do. And really, if he was going to be an Aerie Master one day, getting over this… nervousness with dragons would probably be a very good idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So a bit more insight into the inner workings of our other main character. haha And a couple more tidbits of info about the larger world. I'll be posting another update shortly as well. This one was recently changed so I'll be posting the other half that was originally meant to go with it as well. heh But thanks for reading and I hope you're continuing to enjoy it!


	17. Breakthrough

Even with as distracted as Taekwoon was, he wasn’t entirely oblivious to the workings of the Aerie – this time anyway. He did take note of the odd wing that went out or smaller two dragon patrols from time to time. It was also impossible to miss Jinki all the time and really, it made him feel good when he noticed the other man secretly watching him in the combat ring. It wasn’t that he noticed him exactly, but it was almost like he could feel him watching from afar, which then allowed him to see the other man. And while neither of them made any real efforts to sit down and talk in private, their public conversations weren’t terrible. Especially since he continued to sit at the non-dragonrider tables.

Amber and Wonshik carried most of them, as usual, and both were treated the same in their circles – no one wanted to take sides anyway. They still asked prying and sometimes inappropriate questions as usual, and Sanghyuk and Joy continued to vie for the most gossip-informed errand runner. They only got tidbits, obviously, but apparently Talongrace to the North was having a lot of trouble with losing supply ships between them and Port Derth on Bondsland; in addition, in Kokoshir, the King had called for any free formerly bonded dragon. Neither Sanghyuk nor Joy knew why but it gave plenty to talk about.

It certainly amused Taekwoon when he noticed that Jinki was having quite a hard time holding his tongue. Obviously, he knew more than they did, but he wasn’t allowed to say and it was equally clear he wasn’t sure if they should be spreading such rumors either. Jimin had no such qualms asking them for more information either. Himchan couldn’t say much either but he did comment on various dragon injuries – none were too severe exactly and they’d been fortunate not to have any deaths recently, but there were quite a few smaller injuries they’d had to patch up.

While meals were always interesting, for the most part, the days went by without much change. Taekwoon did notice that his dragons were acting a little bit different, but neither would tell him why; Jongup was almost playfully amused, as if he had a secret he wanted to share but not yet, while Jonghyun was irritatingly smugly silent. Not surprising, all things considered, but it was frustrating. And it was just one more thing he added to fuel his determination to actually get somewhere with them. It took him a while, but after nearly a moon of intensive, exhausting conditioning, Taekwoon finally achieved a breakthrough in Trance.

Gain stumbled backwards with a pained, surprised roar and Taekwoon froze, bronze head swiveling around to confirm what had actually happened. He panicked when he saw claw marks on her face, hunching down immediately in mute apology. Golden eyes flashed and for a moment, the gold dragon bared her teeth at him angrily. But then she shook her head and blinked, raising a testing claw to her marred visage.

In her face, he read approval instead of outrage. Hesitantly, Taekwoon eased out of his crouch and approached with a reasonable amount of caution. She focused on him and relaxed, laughing at the same time. Her posture spoke of pride and acceptance. His claw marks were obvious but she wasn’t angry with him. Far from it.

Shifting forms swiftly, she stepped forward and clapped in excitement, the wounds equally obvious on her human form. “Well done!”

Both surprised and embarrassed, Taekwoon shrugged, his wings moving with the motion. Gain waved her hand and his stomach twisted as he returned to his human form. “Sorry,” he gasped upon returning to his normal guise.

“Why? It was my fault for not blocking,” she assured him, coming close. “I did not expect you to manage that so soon.”

“Neither did I,” he laughed weakly, averting his gaze just a bit so he didn’t have to see the broken skin.

“Oh stop that,” she rolled her eyes, wincing when the motion pulled at tender skin. “It’s only bad here and I’ll likely have some nice scars on the outside,” she winked, flinching from that too. “But…” she exhaled, touching at the skin gingerly. “I think we’ll call it there for today.”

“Really?” Taekwoon blinked, looking around as if trying to check for the time. He didn’t feel as exhausted as usual and he actually felt pretty good for a change.

“Yes,” she confirmed with a careful nod. “While you’re still nowhere near ready to challenge Jonghyun, you’ve come a long ways to getting there.”

Uncertainly, he bit his bottom lip and stepped forward just a touch. “When do you think I’ll be ready to challenge him?”

Gain didn’t seem to hear him for a moment, as she tilted her head, apparently thinking about something. But then the question sank in and she inhaled slowly. “It’s hard to say. At your current progress, you _might_ be a match for him, but I’d rather be sure. We’ll see as things go but maybe in the next couple sevendays?” she shrugged, hands spreading wide.

“Oh,” Taekwoon murmured, unable to hide the disappointment in his voice.

“You’re moving remarkably fast, I’ll have you know,” she reassured him, coming close to put a hand on his shoulder.

He looked up to meet her golden eyes and forced himself not to flinch. “Thank you.”

Her gaze turned speculative and she thumbed at her chin before murmuring, “How’s your mate? You haven’t spoken much of him lately.”

Taekwoon winced and shook his head. “I… don’t really know, actually. Mostly okay, I think,” he offered, thinking back to what he’d seen and experienced from the other man recently.

“Oh? Not speaking much are we?” she grumbled crossly, an obvious irritated sigh escaping her.

“We do…” he started, trailing off without looking at her. “But not about the things we need to talk about,” he admitted, nose wrinkled. “I’ve been so busy,” Taekwoon gestured towards the space around them, “and it seems like he’s been busy too. And we just… don’t try to make the time for… talking when no one else is around,” he sighed, wondering if that was a sign of them actually drifting apart. They did have pretty normal conversations over meals, and the odd exchange on the grounds or in the hallways, but he didn’t ask Jinki and Jinki didn’t ask him for any private time.

“Foolish humans,” she rolled her eyes, shaking her head. “For all your words, they just get in the way,” the dragon explained. “Just _show_ him how you feel.” Her suggestion was met with an embarrassed cringe. “What?” she chirped, intrigued now.

Taekwoon didn’t really want to say but… if anyone might understand, a Paramour would. Hopefully. Still cringing, he explained, “Our last decent conversation wasn’t exactly pleasant. And the last time I tried to get close… the-” he flailed as he gestured at himself, “dragon part of me wanted more…”

“Oh?” Gain hummed in thought. “Oh,” she added just after, as if a thought had occurred to her, but she didn’t elaborate. Instead, she tapped her bottom lip with a pointed nail and asked, “Have you been particularly draconic lately?”

His immediate response was to nod. He had been training as a dragon a great deal so of course that was true, but she was referring to outside of Trance. And really, now that he thought about it, he hadn’t. Not as obviously as before. He still had moments where he was snappy or prone to feel a need to react, but he hadn’t actually lost control with Seunghyun in at least several days. “No…” he admitted slowly, licking his lips.

“If you want to ask my professional opinion, I think that now that we’ve gotten your dragon half mostly under control, you shouldn’t really have that kind of problem again,” Gain smiled reassuringly, her eyes sympathetic. “In a dragon, that is a most admirable quality. For a human, I can see how that might be… frightening,” she conceded with a semi-apologetic shrug.

“So it’s normal in a dragon?” Taekwoon wondered cautiously.

“Oh yes,” Gain chuckled throatily, a knowing gleam in her eyes. “I could show you if you’d like?” she offered, leaning a bit closer as Taekwoon immediately held up his hands in warding. Gain laughed again and shook her head. “I jest,” she assured him, taking a step back to set him more at ease. “But as I mentioned earlier, I believe this is a good time to call it for the day.”

Taekwoon nodded his head in understanding and took a breath. “Okay. Will we train like usual on the morrow?”

“Of course,” she reassured him. “I’ll be ready for you then,” the dragon winked, a sultry but ultimately innocent expression.

“Thank you, Paramour Gain,” the dragonrider bowed respectfully, ignoring the tease. She snorted at his display but he smiled all the same. “I’ll see you on the morrow.”

“That you will,” she gave a slight bow in response.

Leaving Trance was just as easy as falling into it. He’d had practice enough. It was mostly a matter of willing himself out again. Standing after his session, however, was not always so easy. His muscles and joints always got stiff from being in one position too long and it took him a moment to unfurl from his seated form. Distractedly, he watched Gain do the same, coming back to herself and stretching, a process that almost resembled a very large and winged cat. He stifled a smile and forced his reluctant body to stand.

From there, he exchanged one more round of formalities and then let himself out, wisely choosing not to comment on the facial bruising – and even a little bit of actual claw marks – she had predicted. But with most of his evening open, he wasn’t entirely sure what to do with himself. Checking the sun, he knew that Jinki would still be busy and most of the Aerie persons with any regular tasks were otherwise engaged. His dragons, on the other hand, were free. Thoughtful now, and feeling a bit more confident in his ability to read them, Taekwoon set his sights on the dragon area.

As expected, Jonghyun and Jongup were there, playing with each other under the watchful eyes of a handful of other senior dragons. For once, Hero wasn’t around and it gave Taekwoon a chance to simply observe them from afar. They regarded him for a moment as they noticed his approach, but when he didn’t get closer, they resumed their game. Or whatever it was they were doing. It looked like a game.

With his new dragon lessons, Taekwoon could see that right now, they were quite relaxed. Jongup was actively teasing Jonghyun and the copper was playfully frustrated. Even though they got into what looked like a brief scuffle, there was no anger there. Normally, he would have been worried about the baring of teeth and the warning bites he saw, not to mention the claw swipes and posturing, but with Gain’s most recent insight, it made a lot more sense and really helped put Taekwoon at ease. It was good they were comfortable enough here, though he could see some reservations when their attention shifted to the other dragons. Yeah… they still hadn’t quite managed to find where they fit in yet. For all intents and purposes, it looked as if they didn’t really want to either. They seemed to set themselves apart intentionally.

That was certainly one thing he hoped to fix once he did manage to get Jonghyun to respect him. They were all a part of this Aerie and the sooner they really accepted it, the better it would be for everyone. Especially once they were finally cleared to begin training in the Battalion. Speaking of which…

Taekwoon’s eyes drifted to the training grounds across the Aerie where he usually saw the dragons and their riders practicing maneuvers. There was no one there today, and though it felt strange, it wasn’t entirely unusual. It wasn’t as if they were practicing all day everyday. Just… a lot of the time. Curious now, he started to look around the Aerie a bit more, scanning the skies. Yep. In the distance, he could see a couple more patrol dragons than usual. Glancing at the dragon field, he frowned. If there were more nearby patrols, it stood to reason there were more longer distance patrols too. Which probably meant he’d missed something…

Taking a stroll around the perimeter to see who was on wall duty, he was supremely lucky to see Jiho with N right nearby. He hadn’t spoken with them in far too long and a genuine smile lit up Taekwoon’s face. “Jiho!” he called, jogging over. His smile widened when both the rider and his dragon turned to see who had called them, their expression and body language pleasantly surprised.

“Well look what Bahamut dragged in,” Jiho chuckled, squatting atop the wall to get a better look at his newest peer.

“You’re one to talk,” Taekwoon tossed back, moving close enough to offer his hand so N could accept a pet or not, if he chose. As expected (and hoped), he pressed his nose into the open palm and Taekwoon moved to rub at his upper lip. “Hey, N. How ya doing?” he crooned, glad that at least one dragon was always happy to see him.

“He’s grumpy is what he is,” Jiho exhaled, hands flailing helplessly. At Taekwoon’s curious glance up, he explained, “The Battalion’s spread a bit thin right now so we’re stationed here indefinitely until something changes.”

“The wings haven’t returned?” Taekwoon asked in mild confusion. He had been zoning out a little bit during meal time conversations so he wasn’t entirely surprised to hear that he might have missed information, but it was strange that no one was back.

Jiho shook his head with a slight frown on his face. “The ones heading to the Kinshire coast make sense. Though I think someone would have sent a messenger back to let us know more. Dongwan sent another wing ten days ago but we haven’t heard from them either. At least Jongin made it back. A bit later than most expected but in one piece. Thank Bahamut. Apparently the King’s getting antsy about something though,” he muttered. Such details were beyond laymen like them.

“I heard he was calling for any formerly bonded dragons that might be available,” Taekwoon offered, waiting to see if Jiho knew more.

“Yeah. No idea why though. He can’t get Satoru to send him the dragons he wants so I guess he’s trying it on his own,” he shrugged with a shake of his head.

“I see,” Taekwoon hummed in response. “So, who all were sent in the wings?” he couldn’t help but wonder, though he was glad to hear about Jongin. He knew that Boa and Hyoyeon were still here. They’d been relegated to getting ready to train him, fortunately or unfortunately for them. And Yunho was still here since the first wing hadn’t been an official combat party – just a patrol.

“The first wing were all senior dragonriders, which is part of what makes me nervous. They should be able to handle themselves, but the second was a mix of older and newer hands. One of Bom’s first real missions,” he commented, remembering one of the newest additions to that wing, and someone Taekwoon had trained with, albeit briefly. “We don’t often sent the new bloods north for just this reason,” he explained with a shrug.

“Oh,” Taekwoon murmured in surprise. She always had been ready to prove herself. He rather hoped she managed this time. “Why aren’t you being sent in any of the wings?” he had to ask, giving N more face scratches as the dragon practically purred. The low rumble they emitted when they were happy really did sound like a purr.

“Eh…” he trailed off with a brief laugh. “Captain Yunho doesn’t care for our tendency to… improvise in combat scenarios.”

“Improvise?” the ground bound rider chuckled with a shake of his head.

“What? We follow orders. We just add our own flair,” he shrugged, leaning over to grin at his red dragon. “Isn’t that right, N?” The dragon chuffed in response but didn’t pull away. “He really did take a liking to you,” Jiho snorted, shaking his head. “If I didn’t know better, I’d probably be offended,” he laughed, crossing his arms over his chest in mock irritation.

“I’m just happy he lets me,” Taekwoon admitted wistfully.

“Ah,” Jiho grunted. “Yours still giving you trouble?”

“You could say that.”

“I’d been hearing you were struggling with him. Them still or is it just the big one?”

“Yeah. Still struggling with both but mostly just Jonghyun. Jongup will let me get closer but his mate takes exception to that,” Taekwoon sighed, nodding his head as his hand fell still against N’s nose. “We’ve got a plan, but it’s just taking time. I wish I could do more to fix things all at once. I just… can’t,” he explained, chewing on the inside of his bottom lip.

“I’m guessing you’re referring to your dragons _and_ something or _someone_ else,” Jiho indirectly prodded.

“Have you been talking to Jinki?” he wondered, though figured he knew the answer.

“Of course I have. Everyone talks to Jinki. You’re the grumpy one,” he scoffed, rolling his eyes playfully.

“So I’ve been told,” Taekwoon nodded in quiet agreement.

“Nothing but a softie when it comes to the dragons though.” That made Taekwoon smile. It was mostly true. Ever since he’d first seen them, the dragons had captivated him. And unlike Jinki, the creatures had never scared him. Even when they probably should have – his Trials notwithstanding. “That’s not to say he’s a gossip though,” Jiho added, drawing Taekwoon’s attention back to the topic at hand. “Like any good upcoming Aerie Master, he checks on all of us to make sure we’re doing alright and that the Aerie is running smoothly. Nothing wrong there. But it seems to me something’s weighing on him,” he sighed. “He puts on a good show,” Jiho admitted thoughtfully. “But it’s like he’s not his whole self,” he tried to explain, taking a deep breath. “Me thinks maybe you have something to do with that.”

It was a gentle prod, but one all the same. “Maybe,” Taekwoon nodded, not really willing to go into it but it deserved acknowledgement at least.

“Dummy,” Jiho snorted.

“I know.” Really, he did.

“Got a plan?” the rider on the wall asked.

“Yeah. But it’s slow going,” Taekwoon exhaled with a controlled breath.

“Best not wait too long,” Jiho reminded him.

“I know.” That was one thing that was always in the back of his mind. He just hadn’t quite managed to find a time to bring it to the front when he was ready to deal with it. And ready for whatever might come after…

“Yeah well. Let me know how it goes,” Jiho encouraged, giving a light whistle to get N’s attention and let Taekwoon know he was calling. He could have done it silently but he was being polite. “Get your eyes up here, you,” he chastised N with no heat. “Gotta keep a lookout for anybody coming back or trying to get in,” he shrugged, giving Taekwoon a small wave before they resumed their duty intently.

Waving at the pair, Taekwoon sighed. He did have a plan, but like everything else about him right now, it required time. Ironically, he actually had spare time currently but no idea how to try and fix anything immediately. He’d like to have been flying with his dragons, but until he could establish some kind of equal relationship with Jonghyun, Master Dongwan in particular wasn’t too keen on letting him fly. Jonghyun’s wings had healed nicely so Boa and Eunhyuk made sure they did a few laps at least a couple times a day, typically with Jongup, Hyoyeon, and Donghae in attendance. Couldn’t have them getting lazy. Or worse. Actually weak. It just stung. That was supposed to be Taekwoon’s job.

“Soon,” he promised himself quietly, hands balling into determined fists at his side.

Guiltily, but not surprisingly – as seemed to be normal of late, Taekwoon let the rest of the evening slip by without ever really reaching out to Jinki. He did see him over supper and they at least said hi, but even with Gain’s advice – and Satoru’s words still sloshing around in the back of his mind, he couldn’t quite bring himself to say more. He just didn’t have any of the answers he wanted to be able to give Jinki and until that time, he didn’t think he’d be ready for the conversation. It hurt though. He felt it and he could see it. This mountain of unspoken words just getting bigger between them. Eventually, he was either going to have to climb over it or figure out how to build a tunnel through it. They needed to talk, regardless of whose fault it was – he was inclined to blame himself but it didn’t change the reality.

But that was a guilt for another day. The next one was full of beautiful but painful distractions. Training with Seunghyun, classes, and then training with Gain. He was getting better. He knew it and that realization gave him confidence. That in turn gave him the ability to do more, to be more. He was _going_ to be ready. And when he saw Gain looking at him thoughtfully, he knew she was evaluating his chances. Running the possibilities of his duel with Jonghyun.

The second day was more of the same, but Taekwoon and Gain dueled in earnest. He didn’t win though he got close. The following day, they ended in a lenient draw – she could have bested him, but it would have hurt more than either was willing to endure at that time. The day after was a genuine draw and he saw the pride in the golden dragon’s eyes. It made Taekwoon happy. Finally. He was doing something right. Two days later, the impossible happened. He forced Gain to concede.

Breathing hard, she grinned up at him, not even remotely annoyed that she was well and truly pinned beneath the slightly smaller bronze dragon. She tipped her head and trilled her congratulations to him before changing to her human form. “Well, Taekwoon,” she beamed, bringing him back to his human guise so he could respond appropriately. “I do believe you might be ready,” she winked, clapping him on the shoulder.

For his part, he laughed in weak relief and bent forward to rest his hands on his knees. Bahamut he was tired! “Good fight,” he panted, looking up at her with a weary smile.

“I should be telling you that,” she chuckled, promptly plopping down in front of him so she was sitting on the ground. “But my goodness you are a determined little human. You’ve got quite the fire in you,” Gain nodded in approval. “And I’m not sure that’s all from your dragon half either.”

“Thank you,” he accepted her praise gratefully. It was hard earned and rarely given after all. But he was gratified to know that things in him were getting to a balanced point. Now he just had to achieve a similar balance with everyone else… Yet, for the first time in many sevendays, it actually felt possible.

“So. If you can beat me, unless you royally manage to have a very bad day, I imagine you should be able to challenge Jonghyun as well,” Gain nodded sagely, already looking more recovered. “But,” she added, holding up her hand to stall Taekwoon from saying anything. “I want you to rest tomorrow. We’ve been training very hard and while I’m confident in your abilities, I’d rather you be well rested and prepared.”

“I agree,” Taekwoon nodded, conjuring another half smile. Maybe he could get a break from Seunghyun for a bit. That would be nice…

“Good. Now get out of here youngling,” she shooed, waving her hands and laughing in his direction. “Maybe with a day off, you’ll have time to speak with your mate,” she added pointedly.

“I was thinking about it,” he admitted as he stood up, getting ready to take her advice.

“Taekwoon,” Gain called before he could leave.

“Yeah?” he answered, curious.

“A word of caution. Do what you need to do but try to keep a mostly clear head before you challenge Jonghyun,” she encouraged simply. “You are ready, but we are often our own worst enemies,” she shrugged, shooing him off so that he didn’t need to – or rather couldn’t – answer. She kicked him out of Trance. Gently mind you, but kicked out all the same.

Coming to himself, he stretched awkwardly, as usual. That never got any easier. And then stood up while he watched her do the same. “Thank you, Gain,” he said simply, bowing as always before he stepped out. He was tired as he often was when they finished, but Taekwoon also felt energized and hopeful. Two days. With any luck at all, things would start turning around for him with everything. It was time and he was so ready.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We got to get back to Jiho and N! :D I had forgotten I missed them. heh But progress is being made and we're finally working our way towards a conflict/resolution point of sorts. Huzzah! But as promised, the double update. heh Thank you for reading and I hope you look forward to the next one soon!


	18. Aerie Master's Burden

On any given day, working for the Aerie Master was a challenge, albeit an enjoyable one. Most of the time, Jinki looked forward to whatever new hiccup might come along. Today was not one of those days. In point of fact Jinki was quite uncomfortable. Standing near the back in Satoru’s office, while the Aerie Master talked in a low voice with High Dragon Commander Eric, Jinki exchanged a nervous glance with Yongguk. He didn’t seem much happier either.

Given the news they’d been dealing with the past sevenday, it was no surprise. Worse, they didn’t really have anyone to speak to about it either. Jinki didn’t know if it was maybe some kind of test to see if either of them would break their silence, but he didn’t like having this kind of information.

Satoru sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose while Eric looked on sympathetically. “We can’t tell the Aerie the whole truth yet but we also can’t send another wing,” he murmured, tapping his fingers on the desk in frustration.

“We can’t keep them in the dark either. The other riders have been guessing at rumors and gossip does no one any favors,” Eric commented, frowning at the map they were staring at with a missive on top. Jinki had been none too happy to see the stamp of Tiamat on the seal.

The Aerie Master looked up with a perturbed expression and snorted. “So you would like to start a panic or a mutiny by telling them that the first wing we sent has been captured and is being detained – we hope - in Tiamat’s Aerie? And that we don’t know what’s happened to the second wing yet?”

Jinki and Yongguk winced. “No. But this has confirmed what we were right to fear. Tiamat’s Aerie is starting to amass a greater force than we can effectively counter. If this is any indication, they’re getting ready to make a move and unless we know more or do more, we won’t be prepared to stop them.”

“That didn’t answer my question,” Satoru reminded him, chewing on his bottom lip.

“Because you know the answer, Satoru. We have no more options,” Eric admitted softly, his tone just shy of defeated.

Satoru was quiet for a long moment, his thoughts obviously troubled. “Almost,” he conceded with a slight nod of his head. “Remind me. What was the status of the new band of riders we sent a wing to investigate?” he wondered, looking at the taller man.

Eric frowned and muttered under his breath. “Nothing conclusive. The wing returned with no information about them. It seems they were little more than a rumor.”

“We should try again,” the Aerie Master remarked softly.

“Satoru…” the Commander exhaled.

“We need dragons and riders, Eric. If they aren’t aligned, there is a decent chance we can… persuade them to help us,” he gestured with his hands. “It’s not as if we can just go out and round up wild dragons to throw at the Dawnbringers. And we certainly don’t have enough trainees who are ready or even _able_ to pass the Trials in time. If any…” His expression was dark and bitter.

“I know,” Eric murmured, sounding almost apologetic as he reached across the desk to rest a hand on Satoru’s shoulder. “What do you suggest? We have limited forces, but even with less than half a battalion, we can make something happen.”

“Send another wing to seek the unaligned dragons. The last group didn’t have a gold or silver dragon so perhaps we need to catch their attention a bit more,” he mused, biting his thumbnail softly. “We need to send a couple more representatives to Talongrace to see if they can help keep an eye on what the Dawnbringers are doing. While they’re there, they can also help monitor their ships. In addition, we have to send a couple scouts to check for the second wing. We’ve heard no word from them or Tiamat’s Aerie, which could mean any number of things.”

“Done. I’ll send Captain Yunho to try and approach the unaligned dragons this time. Dragon Master Dongwan will be able to keep an eye on the Aerie in the meantime,” Eric nodded, thinking out loud. “I’ll speak with the wings for volunteers for Talongrace – I think we have a couple riders who have family in the area. For the patrol, we should send Hyoyeon and Jongin.”

“Jongin?” Satoru blinked in surprise. He wasn’t the only one. Jinki felt a surge of mild panic at the idea of sending the crippled man into possible danger intentionally.

“Krystal’s a black dragon. Tiamat’s favored. It might give them some cover and she’ll be harder to notice,” Eric reasoned logically. “Plus she’s fast and very protective of him. Paired with Hyoyeon and Donghae, that’s a good combination with a lot of reason to come back safe,” he explained further. “Hyoyeon’s got the experience for it too.”

Satoru made a face but he didn’t argue. Jinki wanted him to. Bahamut knew he didn’t want them sending any of his friends towards the Kinshire coast, but on the other hand, it was a weird sign of trust and confidence in a way. “I hate that you’re right. Especially because that leaves a stronger dragon to stay in case they are needed for combat,” he scowled, glaring at Eric’s half-smile.

“But you still need to contact the High Priest,” Eric added, much to Satoru’s frustration. “He’ll be wanting to know about Taekwoon’s progress anyway.”

“I’m aware,” Satoru exhaled, keeping his tone mostly neutral, though he cast a glance at the back where his apprentices were. Eric just seemed to remember they were there too when he looked up and back and nodded slowly.

Jinki felt very much as if he was listening in on something he shouldn’t be. But he also had questions because he wasn’t sure what progress they were meaning. Taekwoon hadn’t said… well they hadn’t really talked about it at all in a while so he didn’t know what Taekwoon was doing specifically. Other than dragonrider training. And something with Gain…

“Okay,” the Commander nodded, getting to his feet slowly. “I’ll let Dongwan know and get the new riders ready. The rest is in your hands,” he bowed respectfully. Heading towards the door, he conjured a weak smile and nodded at the apprentices. “Yongguk. Jinki.”

“Commander,” they responded in unison, bowing as he left.

The door closed and Yongguk and Jinki looked at each other before glancing over at Satoru who was watching them. “Sir?” Yongguk prompted first when no one else said anything.

The Aerie Master pressed his hands together and rested his fingers against his lips thoughtfully. “Yongguk. We need to write a message,” he murmured, gesturing for the young man to approach the desk. “Jinki. You’re free to go. But remember,” he added sharply, dark eyes focusing on him intently. “Not a word.”

“Yes, sir,” Jinki nodded with a bow, swallowing hard. He managed a small, mute wave at Yongguk who nodded in response, and then hurried out. The news was making him feel slightly sick and he didn’t like it. Closing the door softly, he leaned against the wooden barrier and took a deep, calming breath. It helped a little bit. But that didn’t make the underlying problem go away. Nothing would for the moment. A ball of worry had formed in his gut and was just sitting there. It killed his appetite so food was not an option, and since it was still early, most people were going to be busy.

He could make the rounds but with the news, he really didn’t want to. After a moment, he took another breath and pushed off the door, wandering forward slowly. Unfocused, he let his eyes travel over the wall mural and then he blinked. That’s right. There was a crack there he wanted to check out more. He’d been meaning to but he honestly had a habit of forgetting it was there when he was just coming and going as usual. Glancing back over his shoulder, he didn’t hear anybody coming and figured it was safe enough.

The story was impressive as always, but he had a feeling there was something more to it. Kneeling in front of the mural, under the Bahamut image near where he and Tiamat were fighting, he saw the crack as before. It was unchanged with the barest hint of faded paint peeking through, but when he brushed his fingers against it, a small piece of colored stone fell away. “Oops…” he cringed, picking up the piece and reaching to try and put it back before anyone noticed. He paused though when he saw a faded silver color in the new space. Silver was Bahamut’s color. Granted, it could have been a shade of white before time got to it, but Jinki didn’t think so. If it wasn’t though, what silver thing would be hiding under a mural of Bahamut and Tiamat already?

His fingers itched to find out, but while a tiny piece might remain unnoticeable, a bigger chunk would certainly be seen. He was probably just going to have to work up the nerve to ask about it. Well, ask Satoru about and see if he knew anything. Just… not today. Nope. Today, he was going to do everything he could to stay out of the Aerie Master’s way. With that thought in mind, though still curious, he pressed the piece gently back into its spot and shrugged when it remained. For the moment anyway.

Heading into the open area of the Aerie, Jinki took a deep breath and looked around, noticing, not for the first time, how few the number of dragons seemed relative to the caves they had available. Commander Eric hadn’t been lying when he’d said they were at less than half a battalion in strength. The last time he’d counted, they had one hundred twenty seven dragons. Minus twelve now, with the captured dragons and the second wing missing. It was not a pleasant thought, especially because it always made him think about Taekwoon.

Out of habit, he looked towards where Taekwoon’s dragons usually kept to themselves. He’d made some progress with them. He could sit and talk in the general area and Jongup would come to investigate him from time to time, but Jonghyun was still very finicky. At least Jinki wasn’t as afraid of him anymore. Mostly. He did notice they liked the spot on the other side of the garden though, somewhat hidden from the rest of the Aerie but comfortably in the open. He didn’t see them immediately and that gave him cause for concern. They were generally noticeable. But then he looked up when he saw a couple dragons flying nearby. Ah. Four dragons but only two riders. Two blues and two coppers. That would be Hyoyeon and Boa taking Jonghyun and Jongup for a flight.

He smiled at the sight of Jongup in front with Donghae, doing playful loops and barrel rolls while an apparently disgruntled but resigned Jonghyun watched from the back. Despite his general reluctance in flying, Jinki almost thought he was happy. Or at least content. Looking at Jongup, it was more than obvious he was happy, though it was almost as if he could feel it. Frowning, Jinki placed his hand on his chest and mulled that over. He knew he wasn’t happy – the news he was dealing with wasn’t good. But there was some kind of happiness in him that didn’t belong to him and that was strange.

“You are imagining things,” he told himself sternly, turning away and trying to push the feeling and the thoughts that came with it aside. He pulled up short though when he noticed who was heading this way. Taekwoon. Conflicting emotions bubbled up then: his own happiness, wariness, confusion… And just a touch of irritation when it became obvious that Taekwoon wasn’t heading this way to speak with him as his eyes were locked on the dragons above. But then he seemed to notice something else was in the area and he looked down, making eye contact with him.

“Jinki,” Taekwoon murmured in surprise, coming to a standstill as his face reflected uncertainty. He was nervous. That much was obvious. And Jinki had no idea why. Other than what they hadn’t talked about in sevendays…

“Taekwoon,” he forced a smile he wasn’t sure he entirely felt and waved in greeting.

“I… wasn’t expecting to see you here,” he mumbled, blinking quickly as he looked between his dragons and Jinki.

“Yeah. I was just leaving a meeting with Satoru,” he answered with a shrug, shuffling in place and biting on his lip. “I figured you’d be training today.”

Taekwoon nodded with a quiet hum. “I’ve been given the day off,” he explained, hand gesturing as if there was more he wanted to say.

“Oh,” Jinki chirped, a bit disappointed he hadn’t mentioned that before. But really, they hadn’t been talking that much and it was his call after all. “So…? Any plans?” he wondered, taking a hesitant step forward. If he wasn’t busy, maybe they could try and spend some time together. Perhaps even clear the air between them. If he was honest with himself, he missed him. He didn’t like sleeping alone… being alone… but he couldn’t make it work by himself.

“Actually,” Taekwoon started, ducking his head. “Nothing yet.” He bit his lip and glanced over Jinki’s shoulder to what had to be the dragons but then looked back quickly. “I was just coming to check on them.”

“Okay. Well. If you’re not busy…” he trailed off, moving just a bit closer, feeling as if maybe today could be a good day. “Could we… I don’t know… talk?”

Taekwoon actually winced at the question and Jinki felt his heart drop. That was as good as sign as any. His face fell a touch and the dragonrider reached out quickly, taking another step forward so that they were almost within touching distance. “I want to,” he reassured, a semi-pained expression on his face. “We have a lot to talk about,” he added earnestly, glancing at the dragons again. “I just can’t today,” he explained quietly, face tense.

“Why not?” Jinki asked immediately. It was the perfect opportunity: neither of them were busy and he knew they both wanted to talk.

“Tomorrow,” Taekwoon said instead. When Jinki frowned in confusion, he took a breath. “I have something I have to do tomorrow, but if it goes the way I hope. The way I need it to…” he explained, stepping just close enough to ever so lightly catch hold of Jinki’s fingers in his. “We can talk about everything,” he whispered, meeting Jinki’s eyes intently.

Jinki was terribly conflicted. He both loved and cursed the butterflies that appeared this close to Taekwoon. The look in his eyes was earnest and intense and he wanted to believe. He really did. And really, what was one more day? But that was just it. It was another day. Like Taekwoon often did, pushing things off for whatever reason. “What do you have to do tomorrow?” he asked instead, needing something.

“I have… a very important duel planned that I need to make sure I have a clear head for,” Taekwoon explained apologetically, his eyes darting to his dragons again. “Tomorrow, I can and will explain more if you’ll let me,” he added, fingers tightening on Jinki’s just a touch.

Jinki took a small breath, the ball of nerves in his gut warring with the butterflies. It was not a pleasant sensation. “You promise?” he asked directly, making sure Taekwoon was looking at him when he asked so he could see the answer. It was just another day, but it was also more than he’d gotten in sevendays and he wanted this to be the time. He wanted to be able to hold onto something certain

“I promise,” Taekwoon responded just as quickly, determination blazing bright in his gaze.

That was so not fair… “Good,” Jinki nodded instead, torn between needing to step away or step forward.

“Can I just say one thing?” the dragonrider asked quietly, inching forward just a bit more. Jinki could practically feel his body heat in the space between them.

“Yes,” he answered, blinking once as he searched the other man’s face.

He inhaled softly when Taekwoon leaned forward to close the distance between them, hesitating just before their lips could meet. Jinki’s eyes were wide in his face, but when he didn’t pull away, gentle lips pressed against his. His heart skipped a beat and he breathed in through his nose when a hand reached around his back and drew him close, the other sliding up to cup his jaw. Happiness washed over him. The confusion was there, but he pushed it away for just a moment.

They hadn’t talked in a while so he hadn’t been sure about how Taekwoon felt about him anymore, but this… this was real. This needed no words. He knew without a doubt the other man still felt for him what he felt, and his heart rejoiced in that certainty. Following that certainty, he placed his hands on Taekwoon’s waist and kissed him back, the exchange sweet and tender. He wanted it to go on, but even as his heart said yes, his head told him they needed space. Very reluctantly, he listened and gently pushed away, just enough to break the kiss but not enough to separate entirely.

“Those weren’t words,” he laughed quietly, turning his face down so that they could rest their foreheads together instead.

“Sorry,” Taekwoon murmured, though his tone clearly said he wasn’t.

Jinki smiled. “This isn’t fair, you know.”

Taekwoon nodded mutely. “I am sorry,” he whispered, sincere this time. “I just… needed you to know.”

Swallowing hard, Jinki sniffed once and nodded too. “Well. Thank you,” he admitted, laughing through his nose.

“My heart,” Taekwoon murmured, pulling the shorter man into his arms and hugging him tight.

The affectation made Jinki smile again and he took a breath as he hugged the other man back. ‘Please let tomorrow work out,’ he mentally pleaded, wanting this back.

They stepped back at about the same time, both reluctant but they also knew it was necessary for now. “I’ve… gotta check with my dragons, but when I’m done… would you like to take a walk or get something to eat?” Taekwoon wondered hesitantly. “I know we’re not talking – tomorrow,” he added pointedly. “But I just… want to be with you… today.”

His words were so hesitant, so uncertain. It almost felt like he was afraid he was going to say something wrong. Everything in Jinki wanted to make that uncertainty go away, and even if it didn’t, he probably would have said yes anyway. “Okay,” he smiled reassuringly, linking their fingers together in a loose hold as he turned to head towards the dragons with him.

“You don’t have to come,” he commented with a nod towards the now grounded dragons, both of whom were watching them intently.

“It’s okay. I want to,” Jinki promised, letting his eyes drift to Jonghyun and then Jongup in particular. There was that happiness again. But now he was even more confused. Jinki was happy but it felt like there was another happiness present and that was mildly frightening. But still, now was a good chance to get even closer than he’d been doing. If he was lucky, maybe he’d be able to touch Jongup today.

“Yeah?” Taekwoon grinned, the expression almost childlike in its sincerity.

“Yes. But then I wanna show you something,” Jinki answered, a thought occurring to him. Maybe Taekwoon would have an idea about the cracked mural.

“Okay,” the dragonrider nodded in easy agreement.

Loosely hand in hand, the pair approached the copper and blue. Boa was still nearby keeping an eye on them, but Jinki winced when he saw Hyoyeon heading off after one of the new errand runners came to get her. Squinting, he noticed that it was Chaejin, a rather small but very endearing young man. He was definitely the heart of the next rising batch of trainees and aerie residents.

“You okay?” Taekwoon asked when he noticed his distraction.

“Yeah!” Jinki answered automatically, flashing a covering smile at the taller man. “Just thinking,” he added with a shrug and a wave. Fortunately, Taekwoon didn’t question it. He just smiled and nodded before leading them up to his dragons with a wave at Boa. Jinki’s grip tightened on Taekwoon’s hand as he looked at Jonghyun. He was still nervous around the copper. After all, he wasn’t exactly very welcoming in general. But Jongup on the other hand was much easier to deal with.

“You can say hi, you know,” Taekwoon encouraged, nodding towards Jongup before he looked at Jonghyun with a stern glare.

“You sure?” he asked with a slightly knowing grin towards Jongup as he took a hesitant step closer to the blue.

“Yep,” Taekwoon nodded, giving him a little nudge to start him moving.

Jinki gasped and stumbled to an abrupt halt a couple feet from Jongup. This was the closest he’d been yet and it both exciting and worrying at the same time. The blue chirped at him with a sideways tilt of his head. “What’s he doing?” he whispered back at Taekwoon, not looking away from the dragon.

“He’s wondering what you’re doing,” came the amused reply. “Hold your hand out. It’s okay,” he soothed when Jinki didn’t at first. “He won’t hurt you. I promise.”

This time, Jinki did look over to make sure, but all he saw was calm sincerity. “If you say so,” he sighed, chewing his bottom lip as he looked back at Jongup and raised his right hand. “Hey Jongup. Remember me?” he asked with a shrug, looking between his hand and the distance to the dragon’s mouth. Another chirp made him flinch and Jongup tilted his head again.

“He does. He’s just being shy right now,” Taekwoon snorted, drifting to Jonghyun so he could carefully touch and quietly talk at him.

Jinki watched him for a moment, a little nervous at just how large the dragon’s head looked next to Taekwoon. It wasn’t a stretch to imagine he could very easily bite a person in two. But he didn’t look mean at the moment. Grumpy maybe and a bit huffy if the sigh was any indication, but otherwise mostly harmless. That being a _very_ relative term. However, he made a very strange noise in the back of his throat when he felt something press against his hand while he was looking away.

Looking back, he saw Jongup’s nose against his palm and he laughed in amazement once. “Hey Jongup,” he murmured, smiling at the chirp he got in return.

“He says hello back,” Taekwoon translated, the hint of a smile in his voice.

Jinki chuckled softly and then rubbed Jongup’s nose with a careful motion. When the dragon pushed against his palm harder, he got the message. Moving a bit closer, he tried rubbing his hand up and down the dragon’s long face. He got a strangely familiar sound in response. “He’s… purring.”

“Oh. He _does_ like you,” Taekwoon chuckled, the smile obvious now.

“Well. I gotta say, Jongup. I kind of like you too,” Jinki whispered, meeting the dragon’s amber colored eyes. They were large and beautiful with the rays of the sun making them shine like gems in the morning light. Unblinking, they just looked at each other. It almost felt like he could fall right into them if he wanted to.

“Jinki?”

He jerked and blinked, stepping back just a touch so he could look over at Taekwoon. “Yeah?” he asked, a little disoriented.

“You okay?” the dragonrider asked, brow furrowed just a touch.

“Mm hmm,” he nodded, looking back at Jongup who was still purring. “Just got a little mesmerized by his eyes I think,” he laughed, giving a final pat and stepping back so there was some space between them.

“Huh,” Taekwoon hummed, wandering closer to look between them. “You weren’t going into Trance were you?”

“Huh? No!” Jinki laughed, waving off that idea. “I wouldn’t even know how.” That didn’t seem to reassure Taekwoon though. The dragonrider remained speculative as he regarded Jongup thoughtfully. “I’m sure it’s nothing,” he promised, laying a hand on Taekwoon’s arm.

“Maybe,” Taekwoon nodded, unconvinced.

“Anyway,” he hummed. “If you’re done here…?”

“Huh. Oh. Yeah. What did you want to show me?” he asked, catching Jinki’s hand in his, once again establishing a loose hold with their fingers.

Of course Taekwoon had seen the mural before, but he was fascinated by the crack and what might be beneath it. Jinki watched _him_ , equally fascinated. Long fingers traced around the break and for a moment, it actually seemed as if he was listening for something. Or maybe smelling. It was hard to tell.

“That’s silver,” he mused, eyes narrowed and bottom lip caught between his teeth.

“Mm hmm.”

“Bahamut’s color.”

“Yep.”

“Do you think it’s Bahamut?”

“Figured I’d ask you.”

“Huh.”

They both jumped and turned around when the doors to the Aerie Master’s office opened and Satoru himself stepped out, looking tired and probably hungry. “Oh,” he chirped, noticing them immediately.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to break it!” Jinki apologized immediately, pointing at the crack in the mural.

Satoru’s face shifted from genuine confusion to understanding to amusement to something else in a very short period of time. It was fascinating and unsettling to watch. Stepping close, he waved off his worry. “That’s been cracked for quite some time,” he promised, kneeling closer to the mural so he could see for himself.

“I just… was curious and it looked like there was another painting or mural underneath,” Jinki explained, wringing his hands nervously.

“There is,” Satoru answered easily, glancing at his apprentice.

“Oh.”

“There is?” Taekwoon asked, earning the Aerie Master’s focus.

“Yes.”

“Do you know what it is?” he asked, surprising Jinki. He didn’t know that he would have asked that directly.

Satoru laughed softly and shook his head. “No. It was covered up long before I became the Aerie Master. The former Aerie Master didn’t tell me and I’m not sure if we have records, but if you’re curious,” he started, looking between them thoughtfully. “I would check with Master Jolin. Or Master Kibum but the former probably has greater access to older records. She is the Master Scribe after all,” he reasoned with a shrug. In other words, a record keeper when she wasn’t teaching letters and writing to her students.

“That’s a good idea,” Jinki said, standing up and brushing his clothes off reactively.

“You could start today, if you were interested,” the Aerie Master offered. “Unless you have other plans already,” he added, glancing between them with a raised brow.

Jinki shrugged but Taekwoon offered, “We could take a walk to the library?”

That wasn’t exactly the walk Jinki had envisioned when he’d made the suggestion before but… it wouldn’t hurt. It would keep them distracted enough that they wouldn’t be tempted to ask questions Taekwoon couldn’t or wouldn’t answer and it would definitely keep Jinki from thinking about what he’d heard this morning. And they’d be spending time together. Maybe not in the best way possible, but thinking about it, Jinki thought it was a good idea. “A walk sounds nice,” he finally agreed, bowing to Satoru. “Thank you, Aerie Master.”

“You’re welcome,” he replied easily with a nonchalant shrug. “And good luck.

“Thank you,” Taekwoon offered, giving a bow as well before he and Jinki headed out towards the library.

Satoru’s expression was pensive and a little troubled when he looked at the mural and then back towards the door the pair had left from.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now they're trying to make a tentative peace. Taekwoon is at least attempting to bridge the gap between them while also keeping Gain's words in mind. And now we've got the mystery of a hidden mural. Dun dun dun! lol Yeah. We'll get to that in due time, but thank you for reading and I hope you look forward to the next update. Also, I have to make sure my chapters are organized. lol I did some updating and things got a bit wonky, leading to strange, out of order potential updates. Go figure...


	19. Respect Earned

Calm. Ready. Determined.

Taekwoon sat on the edge of his bed, head bowed and hands resting on his knees as he breathed deep. Today. He would challenge his dragon and become what he needed to be. For himself. For the Aerie. And for Jinki.

The last made him smile. They had spent the night in separate beds again, but Taekwoon was at ease. Mostly. Jinki still cared for him. Deeply. And though they had plenty to figure out, yesterday had been good. They’d connected again, in person if not quite mentally yet. Jinki had really gotten close to Jongup, which was progress for him indeed. And they had both spent a fairly large portion of the day closeted together in the library reading and looking for information, comfortable in each other’s presence. All of those individually would have been reason enough to help him focus. Together, Taekwoon felt unstoppable.

“I can do this,” he exhaled, smoothing his hair back with surprisingly steady hands. He stood up in the early morning dark of his room and pressed his clothes down nervously. Since he wasn’t training today, anything would do, but he was wearing his riding leathers all the same.

Heading into the open aerie, he made his way to the kitchen. Master Junjin was there as usual. He took one look at Taekwoon and nodded in approval. “Someone looks like they’re ready for something.” Without another word, he handed a meat roll to the younger man and crossed his arms over his chest.

“I am,” Taekwoon agreed, taking a bite and leaning against the counter as he eyed the sleepy eyed trainees working behind the chef to help prepare the morning meal. Only one was trying to listen in. The other was trying not to fall asleep.

“You wanna tell me about it?” the chef asked with a crooked smile and a tilted head.

“Maybe after,” the dragonrider shrugged, taking another bite. “Wouldn’t wanna jinx myself ahead of time.”

Junjin chuckled and waved his hand at Taekwoon once. “You’re probably right but you’re also no fun. You know that?”

“I have been told from time to time,” he smiled back, feeling strangely playful. Maybe it was the energy. He felt so… energetic. His skin practically tingled.

“Well, whatever it is. Good luck. Not that you look like you need it,” Junjin snorted, brushing his brown hair behind his ear. He paused as he turned his nose to smell something and then made a strange noise in the back of his throat as he rushed over to where the trainees were prepping food. “The porridge!” he snapped, deftly swinging the huge pot out from the fire.

“Sorry!” the trainees cringed at the same time.

Junjin sighed and shook his head and Taekwoon took that as a sign to head out. He raised the rest of his meat roll to the chef who nodded back and then stepped out to finish it on the way. With the way he felt, he was half certain his dragon would be awake and ready for him. He had to be able to feel that something was different.

As expected, when Taekwoon walked into the dragon area near the garden, he could see Jonghyun already looking for him. Amber eyes were dull in the dim light, but easy enough to see they were aimed his direction. “Morning, Jonghyun,” he greeted as he got closer, giving a brighter smile to the blue. “Jongup.”

The copper chuffed but watched him intently. He was well aware something was up. Eventually, the question came through their bond, even though Taekwoon could read it plain as day in the dragon’s body language. _What?_

Taekwoon stood directly in front of the copper and looked him in the eye as he spoke, “We need to have a talk. In Trance.”

Jonghyun actually laughed at the statement, amber eyes rolling in what looked like amusement. _You sure?_ was the other question that came through.

“Yep,” the dragonrider nodded, taking a seat directly in front of the copper.

Again, the flippant shrug and amusement. But Jonghyun did settle down enough to turn his gaze upon Taekwoon, pulling him into Trance with relative ease. It didn’t hurt that he’d had a lot of practice with Gain lately too.

He was a bronze dragon as he fell, but with wings he could actually fly. Using them deftly, he circled for wherever the copper was and then landed nearby, settling the appendages easily as he started prowling around the similarly sized dragon. As soon as he saw Jonghyun’s body language, he knew the other dragon was already a little nervous and uncertain.

Wings fluttered and teeth bared quickly with a head toss. _You’re different._

No argument there. Taekwoon chuffed in response, an agreeing sound.

It earned him a growl from Jonghyun. He was irritated and slightly threatened. From their previous encounters, it was obvious the copper hadn’t expected him to understand the language. Head toss and quiet teeth clacking. _What did you want to talk about?_

Taekwoon snorted towards Jonghyun and then inhaled, puffing himself up a touch. _Me and you._

Head toss again.

Taekwoon kept his smile hidden. Instead, he planted his feet, mantled his wings, and slammed his tail down as he roared at the copper. He was actually pretty proud of the sound after the fact. But silence fell between them and he knew this would be the tricky part. Gain had warned him that Jonghyun might not take the challenge if he believed Taekwoon had no chance. Or he might take it regardless as an affront to his pride.

Judging by the way the copper’s wings were mantling and he was drawing himself to his full height, it appeared to be the second option. Taekwoon smiled, the expression unnatural on the dragon’s face. Jonghyun roared at him, slamming his tail down once before launching forward, teeth bared and talons extended.

Hopping to the side, Taekwoon pivoted to try for a tail slam. Jonghyun extended his wings and flapped to the side at the last moment, narrowly avoiding the strike. By his reaction though, he hadn’t expected it. The copper stayed in the air, circling with an irritated but thoughtful expression on his face.

Taekwoon gave a quiet roar and ducked his head while his tail thrashed from side to side. _Come on._ Jonghyun mirrored him, trying to draw the bronze into the air. Well. If he wanted to play it that way. Gain had made sure he was flight combat ready too. Taking a breath, he gathered himself and launched into the air. Wings beat powerfully as he galloped through the air, moving straight for the copper.

Jonghyun immediately turned to lead him on a chase, slowing just enough so that Taekwoon could catch up without too much trouble. He didn’t want to run too long. No. His dragon much preferred a fight. The bronze was tense as he drew close, not sure what the copper would try. He didn’t have to wait long. Jonghyun suddenly nose dived. Taekwoon followed quickly, still tense. He could catch the copper if he wanted, but he waited instead, trailing behind just far enough.

Irritated, Jonghyun suddenly pulled up, doing a full loop past Taekwoon and going overhead. The bronze followed him in his periphery, leveling out so that he stopped descending. Then he waited, feeling his back itch like it had a target on it. Technically, he knew it was the target, but he had to wait for the right moment to move. Winding from side to side, as if he was trying to evade the other dragon, he practically held his breath until he heard Jonghyun roar directly behind him.

Now!

Flipping over at the last heartbeat, he reached to lock claws with Jonghyun as the copper slammed into him in midair. They roared, teeth clacking loudly as they snapped at each other. Front claws held tight while back claws fought to do damage, brushing against legs and scaled hides awkwardly. Taekwoon’s position was weaker since they were still descending, but he had a trick up his sleeve. Jonghyun snapped at him again. Taekwoon dodged and when the copper pulled his head back to try once more, he followed, ramming his head into Jonghyun’s like a headbutt. He felt talons jerk open reflexively as a surprised squawk emerged and Taekwoon shoved away, gaining his freedom again.

_Cheater!_ His dragon was not happy with him.

_No. You just didn’t expect it._ It was no different than him trying to bite the other dragon but because he hadn’t been using his fangs, the natural response wasn’t quite the same. Gain had given him that tip. Apparently she’d learned it from her rider and had used it on occasion out in the field.

Frustrated now, especially since his success in the air hadn’t been as strong as he hoped for, Jonghyun went to the ground instead. Once there, he roared another challenge at Taekwoon. He had no qualms with that. Banking quickly, he descended and landed with the skill of a mediocre dragon. He was still working on that part. It earned a sneer from Jonghyun whose own landing was practically effortless. But he didn’t charge as he had before. The copper was wary now. Hesitant.

Taekwoon wasn’t. Hissing, he charged. Jonghyun bristled. When the bronze got close enough, he reared up and clawed out reflexively. Taekwoon wrinkled his nose and ducked his head, keeping his wings tucked close to his body. Talons scored his neck and back, painful albeit light wounds, but the copper wasn’t expecting him to run full tilt into him. He coughed a roar as his body was driven back and they briefly tumbled together. Head over wings over tail, Taekwoon was on top first, but then they rolled and it was Jonghyun there. The copper was dazed though, and it was enough for the bronze to kick him off with all four feet, sending him haphazardly flying through the air.

Wings snapped open to steady him but he flapped awkwardly, slightly disoriented. Rolling to his feet, Taekwoon got up and chased after. Jonghyun landed, hind legs on the ground and forelegs in the air. Finally, Taekwoon closed with him the way he wanted. Rearing up, they slashed at each other with claws, wings buffeting their opponent when they could. They hissed but didn’t try much biting yet. Just feints at wings or throats. They weren’t actual enemies. Just frustrated opponents and neither wanted to fight dirty.

Talon to talon, Taekwoon was pretty sure that Jonghyun was heavier than him, but he’d been training against Gain. The gold outweighed the copper easily and in that case, it was all about leverage. Blind fury and determination were his opponent here, but Taekwoon planted one foot so he could use his tail. Snaking it forward, he pressed it against the copper’s inner ankle and shoved. It wasn’t prehensile but force was definitely applicable.

It was enough to make Jonghyun’s foot slip, upsetting his balance. He roared again and flailed with his wings, trying to regain control. One managed to buffet Taekwoon in the head, stunning him briefly, but he rushed past it and threw his weight into the slightly larger dragon, tackling him to the ground.

Jonghyun’s wings were pinned beneath him and Taekwoon was on top, but once cornered, he was nearly frantic. All four legs raked at the bronze’s body. Standing over his target, he couldn’t see the hind legs and Taekwoon roared as they scored his belly, digging deep. In pain and knowing his position was precarious – he’d been foolish to pin him on his back, he locked front talons with Jonghyun and ducked his head, feigning fear. The copper snapped forward reactively and Taekwoon ducked low, lying almost flat against Jonghyun’s body. Teeth clacked over his head and he lunged forward, clamping his teeth against the copper’s throat, hard enough to break the skin but not enough to kill.

He growled savagely as Jonghyun keened, thrashing one more time with a final rake down Taekwoon’s side. But when teeth tightened, he hissed quietly and stilled. Taekwoon growled again, the sound equivalent to, _Yield!_

His dragon was reluctant, breathing hard and deep, but remaining silent for a long moment. Yet, when neither moved and teeth became uncomfortable enough, Jonghyun finally groaned and let Taekwoon’s claws go. _I yield._

Relief washed over Taekwoon then. It took effort to unlock his jaw so he could pull away, limping at the pain in his belly and side, but he was elated all the same. Swallowing, he stepped back a fair distance and then sat down, wrapping his tail around his front feet and watching to see what Jonghyun would do now.

Silent frustration was evident in his body language. The copper got up stiffly, only giving sidelong looks at Taekwoon at first. He tested his neck and throat, stretched his wings, flexed his tail and finally took a breath before mirroring the bronze’s pose. Amber eyes met amber eyes and they stared at each other, unblinking.

_How?_

_Training with Paramour._

Jonghyun hissed at him. _Cheating._

 _Training!_ Taekwoon reiterated, hissing back.

A long silence followed as the copper looked him over. His eyes took in the deep wounds and the rest of his form and he huffed. _Why?_

 _Needed you to know I am worthy._ Jonghyun grumbled, obviously annoyed. It was hard to say if it was at himself or Taekwoon though. _I have request._ The copper gave a quiet nod of acceptance. _Talk man to man?_

Amber eyes narrowed and he mantled his wings just a touch. But the moment passed and he settled down as he took another breath. He nodded, form slowly shifting from dragon to unclothed man. Taekwoon followed shortly after, equally unclothed. “You have earned that much at least,” Jonghyun conceded, crossing his arms over his chest and ignoring the slowly bleeding marks on his neck from where Taekwoon’s teeth had scored him.

For his part, Taekwoon was almost overwhelmed with relief. He could actually speak freely with his dragon in this moment. Though his wounds certainly hurt… He placed a hand over the worst one and nodded, “Nicely done.”

Jonghyun shifted uncomfortably and flippantly added, “You too.” His gaze turned speculative and he asked, “You have been training with Gain?”

“Yes. She… helped me with some of the new attacks,” he explained, motioning with the head butt and using his hand to simulate a tail.

For a moment, he actually looked impressed. “Why?”

“Because we need to be able to understand each other and I couldn’t in dragon form. Not the way we both need,” Taekwoon explained, exhaling slowly. “And you wouldn’t let me be a man here.”

“I didn’t want you,” Jonghyun growled, defensive.

“I know,” Taekwoon nodded in understanding. “But you have me. Like it or not.”

His dragon’s lips curled up but he remained silent. Then he looked back and asked, “Do you want me?”

“Yes.” There was no hesitation.

“Even after everything?” the copper asked warily, again glancing at the wounds he’d inflicted.

“Yes.”

“Why?” He was quite the suspicious creature.

“Being a dragonrider is my dream. You are my dream,” he stated simply, one hand gesturing towards the dragon.

“And your mate?” he asked shrewdly, eyes narrowed.

“He is my dream too. A different dream,” the dragonrider answered confidently.

Jonghyun took a deep breath and started pacing slowly. “What do you want from me?”

That was a good question and Taekwoon hoped he had a good enough answer. “I want us to work together. I want us to be a man and a dragon as needed. I want us to be able to defend our home. And our mates. Together,” he explained, gesturing between them.

“I can protect my mate!” he growled, stepping towards Taekwoon angrily.

“I saved your mate,” the dragonrider reminded his dragon, not backing down.

They both knew he was the reason that Jongup had almost died, but he was also the reason he had lived after the fact. “And I let your mate go,” Jonghyun grumbled, arms crossing over his chest again.

“I know. Thank you for that,” Taekwoon nodded with a grateful bow. When he looked up, he could see the action had surprised his dragon.

“He is brave,” Jonghyun conceded with a shrug. “Not strong, but brave.”

“He is strong in a different way,” Taekwoon corrected gently, a smile lighting his face at the thought.

“We have seen. My mate has felt,” the copper agreed with a slow nod.

Taekwoon had to fight hard to hide his surprise then. Jongup could feel what Jinki felt? That was interesting… “They are bound?” he asked for clarification.

Jonghyun’s face scrunched in thought and he shook his head. “No. Not like you and me. They only feel,” he murmured, patting his hand over his heart. His gaze turned critical again as he looked at his rider. “You are the opposite. Strong but afraid.”

He had to wince. “I’m not afraid of you.”

“Your mate.” The dragon tilted his head to the side, eyeing his rider intently.

Taekwoon didn’t answer immediately. He shifted in place, uncomfortable with the conversation, but his dragon deserved a response at least. And he needed to voice it out loud anyway. “Yes,” he agreed softly, nodding in agreement. “I am afraid. Of losing him. Of hurting him. Of something happening to him,” he admitted, hands balling into fists. An obvious scoff made him look up, blinking in surprise.

“If you know he is your mate, no fear,” Jonghyun gestured as if it was simple. “Trust,” he stated, reminding Taekwoon of what the rider had told him before. “Trust in your mate as he trusts in you.”

Hearing it spoken back at him, Taekwoon had to admit it was much easier said than done. Not because he didn’t trust Jinki. But more because he didn’t trust himself. What if _he_ did something to mess things up? That was more what he was afraid of. “But what if something does happen? What if you can’t protect your mate?” he wondered out loud, not even sure he meant to say it.

“No!” Jonghyun snapped, making Taekwoon flinch. “Too many what ifs,” he shook his head and waved his hand in front of his face. “Live well _now_. Protect _now_. Worry about what might happen _when_ it happens,” he added, shrugging. “Useless to waste energy worrying about things that may never be.” His frown spoke volumes. And Taekwoon had to admit it was surprisingly good advice coming from a dragon that was likely about his age, comparatively speaking.

“Hmm,” he hummed to himself, fingers clasping his chin lightly while he looked down. “Okay,” he murmured, licking his lips. “Jonghyun. Will you be my dragon and help me protect my mate so that I can help you protect yours?” His question was quiet, but he knew the copper dragon heard him. They both fell very still and simply looked at each other across the space between them.

After a long pause, Jonghyun approached slowly and stopped directly in front of Taekwoon. They were within arm’s reach but he kept his hands back for now. “Will you try to control me?” he asked warily.

“No. I will only ask that you help me do what we will be expected to as part of the Aerie and the Stardust Battalion,” he promised, placing his fist over his heart.

“What about my mate?” he asked shrewdly, eyes narrowed.

“He will be expected to help as well.” Jonghyun’s frown deepened and Taekwoon held up his hand to stall him. “Though I can speak with the Dragon Master if you feel that concessions must be made.”

The copper took a deep breath and relaxed slightly. “And your mate?”

“He is training to become an Aerie Master now. I can ask him to join us more though,” he nodded, stressing the ‘ask’ part. He would no more command Jinki than he would his dragons.

Jonghyun nodded once and sniffed. “Jongup would like that.” Taekwoon smiled at the admission. “Very well,” the dragon exhaled, a long and slow sound. Reaching out his hand, he murmured, “I will be your dragon if you will be my rider.”

“I would be honored,” Taekwoon promised, giving a small bow as he took the dragon’s hand and gripped firm.

“You are mine…”

“And I am yours.”

“Dragon.”

“And rider,” Taekwoon finished, feeling almost as if he’d cast a spell of some kind.

Jonghyun gave a crooked smile and retrieved his hand. “You’ve made your point,” he huffed, still somewhat amused. “Now go away,” he shooed, literally kicking his rider out of Trance.

“Ow…” Taekwoon groaned, placing his hand to his head as he came to in his own body once more. “That was not necessary,” he grumbled, glaring at the copper through squinted eyes. Jonghyun snorted in amusement and then started the stretching process.

Nearby, Jongup chirped in curiosity and then came bounding over to make sure they were both okay. Talons rested on the larger dragon’s hide as he used him as a prop to look over the rest of him, sniffing and nosing intently. Jonghyun snorted in the blue’s face and made a small crooning sound as if to reassure the other dragon.

It was an endearing exchange and Taekwoon felt privileged to see it. He noticed the tiny bruises on Jonghyun’s neck where he’d bitten him but they didn’t look too bad. His own wounds on the other hand… Gingerly, he lifted his shirt up to inspect the ugly marks beneath. Thin, red lines showed where claws had scored, with one actually sluggishly bleeding. “Bahamut’s teeth, you hit hard,” he grumbled at his dragon, no real anger in his tone. He got a mixed response of apologetic satisfaction. “Yeah, yeah. You earned them,” he agreed, offering a wan smile at the copper. “It was a good duel,” he explained with a glance at Jongup.

The blue looked between the two with darting head movements, obviously not sure how he should feel about that announcement. He looked back to Jonghyun to confirm his mate was alright. Then turned his attention to Taekwoon with wary interest, but when he saw the marks on his bare skin, he posture spoke of mild concern, and he looked back to the bronze. Jonghyun shrugged and reached a wing out to cover Jongup reassuringly.

“Hey. Easy for you to say. I barely touched you,” Taekwoon grumbled with a half-hearted gesture at his dragon. He didn’t pay much attention to the response as he opted to look around instead. When he’d gone into Trance, it was very early morning. Now, the sun had risen and was climbing across the sky in what was probably mid morning. It didn’t feel like they’d been there that long, but he wasn’t going to argue with what his eyes saw. Of course, they also soon noticed Dragon Master Dongwan nearby, wandering over at a leisurely pace.

“Morning,” the enviably fit man greeted with a wave and an easy smile.

“Good morning, Master Dongwan,” Taekwoon nodded, hurrying to get to his feet before pain forced him to slow down. He tried to hide the wince, but he knew the other man saw it. “Do you need me for something?” he asked instead, standing up straight and ready for whatever he wanted to say.

“No. I was just keeping an eye on how things turned out,” he explained easily, one hand moving to gesture towards the Paramour quarters. “Gain explained you were going to be up to something today,” he chuckled with a shake of his head. “Did you accomplish what you intended to?” he wondered, glancing between the rider and his dragons.

“I did,” Taekwoon answered honestly, looking at Jonghyun and Jongup with a proud and pleased smile. He felt the copper’s light reassurance through their bond and his smile widened.

“Was it worth it?” the older man asked with a glance at Taekwoon’s torso, sharing a pained smile.

“Absolutely,” the dragonrider grinned, though he placed a light hand on his stomach all the same.

The Dragon Master’s expression turned pensive and he asked, “Do you think you’re ready to fly?”

Taekwoon wasn’t positive. With their new understanding, he thought he should be but he looked back and sent a quiet question to Jonghyun. The copper lifted his head and glanced between the riders. He finally shrugged his shoulders, head moving in a tiny wave, and sent an affirmative response through their bond.

“Yes sir,” Taekwoon answered, turning back to meet the Dragon Master’s gaze.

“Good. You’ll start training on the morrow then,” he announced suddenly. “Make sure you’re ready.”

“Yes sir!” the new dragonrider snapped to attention, wincing when the wounds pulled again.

“And I’d go see Mimi if I were you,” he added as an afterthought, turning to leave as quickly as he’d arrived.

“I was planning on it,” Taekwoon murmured, lifting his shirt one more time. He was pretty sure there were a couple marks on his neck and back too, but they didn’t hurt nearly as bad as the ones he was currently looking at. And after the healer, he was going to have to find Jinki. He’d promised after all, but this time, Taekwoon was looking forward to the conversation. This time, he knew what he could tell his other half and not have to worry about dodging answers or hiding truths. This time, he was ready.


	20. Reconciling

Ready or not, some conversations just weren’t that simple. As soon as Taekwoon found Jinki after visiting the Healing Hall, sufficiently bandaged up to look like he’d been in a fight again, he knew things were off to a bit of a bumpy start.

“Again with the injuries!” Jinki sighed semi-dramatically, though he had earned such a reaction.

Too keyed up to be daunted by the outburst, Taekwoon confidently pointed at his other half and stated, “I can explain.” This time, it was undeniably true. There was no reason to hold back and he had every reason not to.

“Okay,” Jinki nodded with a breath. He extended his hand and offered a tentative smile before adding, “I would like that.”

Taekwoon smiled back and accepted the gesture, wrapping his fingers around Jinki’s hand firmly. There was an unspoken consensus that they should talk in private, away from prying ears and public eyes. Not surprisingly, they drifted to the room Taekwoon was staying in. It made the dragonrider a bit uneasy that Jinki chose the chair and not the bed. Fortunately, or so he hoped, he knew his other half well enough to know it was probably intentional. If he sat next to Taekwoon, he was just as likely to try and comfort him if things got particularly difficult as they sometimes did. And that… was often an excuse for Taekwoon to stop talking at length.

“So?” Jinki prompted, gesturing his hand up and down at Taekwoon’s seated person. He was obviously worried, if the look in his eyes was any indication.

Taking a deep breath, Taekwoon sat up and rubbed his suddenly sweaty palms on the tops of his thighs. “Alright. Just…” he trailed off, holding one hand up to forestall any questions from his other half. “Let me talk first and then you can ask any questions you might have,” he explained, biting on his bottom lip nervously.

Jinki nodded slowly. “Sure, but I have something I need to say too.”

“Okay,” Taekwoon nodded in understanding, his stomach coiling into a ball of nerves.

In order for everything to make sense and to keep things organized, Taekwoon went back to the beginning. He reiterated his strange bond with Jonghyun, as well as the rather backwards aspect of their Symbiosis. Explaining the tension wasn’t difficult either, nor was adding Gain’s insights. He was intrigued by the curious response he saw from Jinki when he mentioned the Paramour’s advice, but he pushed it aside for the moment and continued on.

It was challenging dragging his personal guilt and uncertainty into the open and trying to explain why he did or didn’t do certain things. But he could tell that Jinki seemed to think similar thoughts about a couple points – they both had been busy and it was easier not trying to talk about the big topics sometimes. Going into detail about his special training wasn’t actually as hard as he thought it might be, but again, he was curious about another quickly subdued reaction from Jinki. What had his other half been up to when they were apart?

On the other hand, working with Gain had helped to balance him as a person with more of a dragon inside than usual and it was obvious they were both relieved by the probability that his draconic tendencies were under control now. Which led to the explanation of why and how he was injured now.

When he was finished, Jinki just stared at him with slightly narrowed eyes. He raised his hand and opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out on the first attempt, much to Taekwoon’s surprised amusement. Then he tried again. “You beat your dragon as a dragon in Trance?”

“Yes,” the dragonrider answered simply, though he had to force his fingers to let go of his pant legs.

“That’s…” he frowned thoughtfully, obviously trying to think about how to respond.

“Not normal,” Taekwoon supplied for him. “But it worked. We’ve finally come to an understanding,” he exhaled in relief.

Jinki laughed and shook his head. “Nothing about your becoming a dragonrider has been predictable, Woonie.”

“Except having a dragon,” he offered with a hesitant shrug.

“Sort of,” the other man snorted, and Taekwoon had to nod in reluctant agreement. “But I get it. I finally understand what’s been going on but…” Now the dragonrider winced preemptively. “Why couldn’t you explain any of this _while_ it was happening?”

Taekwoon wrinkled his nose and let his head sag between his shoulders. “I thought I had good reasons at the time. They don’t feel that way anymore,” he admitted heavily, glancing up from the fall of his black bangs.

“Like?” Jinki pressed gently, hands open expectantly.

Of course he’d want more than that. “I was trying to protect you,” he started, flinching from the snort he got in response. But he raised his hand to stall any words, not looking up yet, and continued, “I was also embarrassed about a lot of things.”

“Woonie…” he heard quietly, but no further words interrupted him.

“And I was scared to tell you some things because I knew you’d worry. And there were times I didn’t have whole answers to give, so it was better to not say anything,” he stated, rolling his eyes at how ridiculous that one sounded. The silence went on between them longer than he was comfortable with so he finally looked up to see his other half looking slightly guilty and emotional himself. “Jinki?” he asked softly, fighting the impulse to go to him.

“To be honest, I was scared a lot too,” he started, gripping his pants tight in tense fists. “Scared for you always getting hurt. But scared for me too,” he admitted, swallowing hard as he glanced up at the dragonrider. “Scared that I might lose you for good or… to your dragons,” he cringed, looking away in shame.

“But-” Taekwoon started to say before Jinki cut him off.

“I know, I know. They’re different,” he laughed once, nodding in acceptance. “Gain has a way with explaining things you don’t always want to hear,” he added with a partial eye roll. That made Taekwoon chuckle. He knew her words well. “It’s just that things started changing so fast and I don’t think that either of us really knew what to do or how to handle it all,” he admitted with a heavy sigh.

“I can’t argue with that,” Taekwoon agreed with wide eyes and an equally heavy breath.

“Woonie,” Jinki murmured, looking up to meet the dragonrider’s eyes intently. “I’m sorry that things got so… weird between us.”

“Me too,” Taekwoon offered quickly.

“But for the love of Bahamut,” Jinki laughed once, his tone almost begging. “Please stop shutting me out. I know I was in the wrong too, but I just need to be on the same page as you. Okay?” he asked plaintively, voice high and expression tight.

“My heart,” Taekwoon sighed, the desperate plea breaking him. “I’ll stop,” he promised quietly, bowing his head resting his elbows on his knees. “Jonghyun reminded me that I need to stop being afraid of… this and to trust you,” he admitted, looking up with troubled, watery eyes. “With everything.”

Jinki laughed once and took another breath. “Sounds like your dragon has a good head on his shoulders,” he swallowed, licking his lips. “Relatively speaking,” he amended when the imagery of that comment caught up to him. It made Taekwoon chuckle softly.

“He does,” he agreed instead. “He also mentioned Jongup would like to see you more.” At the confused look he got, Taekwoon winced and had to explain. “He sort of mentioned that you and Jongup are… connected. Not bound like me and Jonghyun,” he added immediately, seeing the hint of alarm on the other man’s face. “He said it was more a matter of feelings.”

“How?” he started to ask before a thought occurred to him. “Oh. The High Priest mentioned something about that, didn’t he? Since Jongup was still in the binding Trance when Jonghyun pulled me in.”

“I think so,” Taekwoon nodded as he threaded his fingers together. “It doesn’t mean you’re a rider. Jongup just likes you, I believe.”

Jinki exhaled with a soft smile, relief obvious. “I thought I’d been feeling something around him,” he admitted slowly, shrugging at the new confirmation. “At least I can say I kind of like him too, if I’m being honest.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” the dragonrider murmured, remaining seated on the bed even though he wanted to go over and hold Jinki. But he was also trying really hard to give him space right now too. “So. Anything else you’d like to say or questions you’d like to ask?”

“Oh. I hadn’t really thought about it,” he responded with a perplexed frown. “I guess… what happens now would be a good one?”

“Normal dragonrider training I imagine. Dongwan said he wants me to start flying tomorrow, so I figure I’ll probably be joining the Battalion soon,” he murmured, hands gesturing open helplessly. He stiffened just a bit when he heard Jinki gasp. “What?” he asked, watching his other half intently.

“It’s nothing,” Jinki tried to assure him with a forced smile. But he couldn’t maintain it under the unwavering gaze. “I can’t say much because it’s Aerie Master business,” he prefaced his explanation first. “But I’m just worried because, as you told me before you became a dragonrider, bronzes are on the front lines. They’re damage soaks and if you’re sent out with a wing, that’s where you’ll be too.” He grabbed his shoulder across his chest and looked down, clearly upset.

“Do you think there will be fighting soon then?” Taekwoon asked, unable to sit there while his other half looked this distressed. He got up and closed the distance to kneel in front of him, taking the free hand in his.

Jinki inhaled and grabbed the hands holding his hard. “It’s possible,” he murmured, looking at Taekwoon with shimmering eyes. “The two wings that were sent to the Kinshire coast haven’t returned yet. We won’t know much more until the scouts come back at least.”

Taekwoon felt that Jinki wasn’t telling him everything. It seemed as if information was missing or that there was something the other wanted to say, but he did not press him this time. He’d already explained he couldn’t say everything, but admittedly, Taekwoon felt quite out of the loop. That was mostly his own fault. He hadn’t been focusing on much beyond his own problems and that was to his own detriment.

“I’m sorry,” he apologized, holding Jinki’s hand supportively. “Maybe… you can remind me of the information you _can_ say,” he suggested, brow slightly furrowed. “I admit that I haven’t been as aware of what’s going on in the Aerie of late.” He winced apologetically but continued to look at Jinki’s face.

“You do have a knack for cave vision some days” Jinki admitted softly with a bemused nod. “Okay. This is the general news in the Aerie of late,” he started, taking a breath to collect himself.

Still kneeling, Taekwoon listened intently, feeling unabashedly guilty about what he had missed, even if he’d heard snippets here and there. Jongin’s return and the rumors around it, which Jinki couldn’t confirm or deny. The missing two wings that had been sent to the Kinshire coast. The failed contact mission sent to seek out the rogue or unknown dragons to the east. Another wing being sent with Yunho leading to try again. Two scouts – Hyoyeon and Jongin being sent to gather info about the missing wings in the north.

“It seems like there’s a lot going on lately,” Taekwoon murmured, a hint of tension in his tone.

“And you’re going to be right in the middle of it soon,” Jinki sighed in pained resignation. He traced his fingertips against Taekwoon’s temple, moving back until he cupped his head tenderly.

Taekwoon raised Jinki’s other fingertips to his lips and kissed them softly. “That is true, but now… I will finally be able to help keep everyone safe. Keep you safe,” he whispered, staring into mocha depths.

“Except you,” Jinki laughed once, the sound slightly bitter. “You’re very good at getting hurt, you know?” His voice wavered but he couldn’t help looking at Taekwoon’s torso where he already bore numerous scars.

Now the dragonrider reached up to cup Jinki’s cheek with his right hand. “My heart. I have a very good reason not to get hurt. Anymore,” he amended with an accepting shrug and a crooked smile.

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” the other man answered with as straight a face as he could manage. It didn’t last long before he laughed at himself again with a shake of his head. “I’m clumsy and you’re remarkably accident prone as a rider.”

“Eh… it’s all part of the learning process,” Taekwoon explained with a wrinkled nose.

“You sure?” he asked, shifting his hands to gently grasp Taekwoon’s head between them, leaning forward to press their foreheads together.

The dragonrider covered Jinki’s hand with his and promised, “I am now.” He rubbed his thumbs against the backs of the other man’s hands and summoned a brave smile.

“Good,” Jinki almost seemed to sigh in relief, his eyes closing briefly.

“Jinki?” Taekwoon asked into the resultant silence, the name soft and hardly more than a whisper.

“Hmm?” he hummed without looking up.

“Will you stay with me tonight?” he whispered back. Dark eyes opened to meet his. “I just… I don’t want to be without you anymore,” he admitted, biting his bottom lip uncertainly. Being so vulnerable was not his strong point.

“We’ll see,” Jinki answered after a long pause, lifting his head to kiss Taekwoon’s forehead. “You’ve given me a lot to think about today. But I have missed you too,” he added, shifting to rest their foreheads together once more, thumbs stroking Taekwoon’s cheeks.

It was not what he wanted to hear, but it was… acceptable. He – technically they – had let time create this distance between them and it made sense if they couldn’t fix it in a day, though he didn’t like it. “Okay,” he accepted softly, turning his head to kiss the inside of Jinki’s wrist. A relieved and grateful breath escaped him when the other man leaned forward and wrapped his arms around Taekwoon’s head to pull him against his chest.

“Foolish man,” Jinki murmured, his cheek resting against the top of Taekwoon’s head.

Taekwoon chuckled softly, mutely agreeing. He was more than content just to enjoy the time Jinki was willing to share with him, but as much as either of them might have wanted, they couldn’t stay there forever. The Aerie called and really, there was still much Taekwoon had to do to make sure he’d be ready to start on the morrow. Jinki too had tasks he needed to attend to and so, for now, they went their separate ways. But they did promise to meet for supper and to return to the library to dig into more information about the mural in the Aerie Master’s office. It seemed they were both looking forward to that, for more than one reason now.

But the dragonrider still had to report to Gain to let her know of how the duel went. She was pleased and proud and looked forward to seeing how they might work together now. He also had to check in with Combat Master Seunghyun, since he had missed two training sessions so far. The taller man was hard to read but he seemed understanding of the situation. Though he did order Taekwoon to return within the next sevenday, after his newest injuries had mostly healed, to duel in earnest now that everything between him and his dragon seemed to be settled. Taekwoon was not looking forward to that encounter…

He had missing class information to get caught up on as well, seeing as he’d missed a couple days from them as well. And one of the last things he had to make sure he did was to speak with Aerie Master Satoru. It made sense that the Aerie Master needed to know about most of the details in the Aerie at any given time, but Taekwoon had misgivings about it if only because he knew that the High Priest would be told about them the next time he was in attendance. Or by message. Either way, the dragonrider did not like that idea. He still had no good reason for it, but he was learning to trust his gut and it told him something wasn’t quite right.

As usual though, he had no way to gain any more insight on the matter so he pushed it out of mind and dutifully reported to Satoru what had been transpiring. “I am pleased to hear of your progress, Taekwoon,” he smiled, apparently genuinely happy about that.

“Thank you, sir,” Taekwoon bowed slightly from where he sat.

“I’ve spoken with Dragon Master Dongwan and he explained you’ll be joining training for the Battalion on the morrow,” he murmured, obviously checking to see if the younger man had been brought up to speed.

“Oh,” he blinked in surprise. “I knew I was to be training. I hadn’t realized it would be with the Battalion yet,” he admitted, feeling nerves coil in his belly. It was good tension but it still made him nervous.

“Ah. Perhaps he should have been the one to deliver the news,” Satoru shrugged, the hint of an apology. “Normally, you would be given more time to train with your dragon, but as you may have heard, our numbers are not what they should be. You will be joining a wing as well. The Commander has chosen one for you.” He frowned as he glanced down at a scrap of paper, apparently puzzling out the handwriting. “You’ll be reporting to Dongwan in the morning, but in your wing, you’ll be under the leadership of Insoo Kang. You’ve probably seen him around, yes?” he questioned, glancing up for confirmation.

“Yes, sir,” Taekwoon nodded slowly. He was familiar with all the dragons and riders in the Aerie, though he wouldn’t exactly say they were all friends. On the other hand, while he wasn’t close with Insoo, he had no problem with the slightly older man. He generally had a pretty easy going nature and a knack for diffusing the occasional heated discussion.

“Good.” Satoru glanced back down, eyes scanning the writing further, but he didn’t say anything else.

“Sir?” he had to ask, waiting for the Aerie Master to look up. “Might I know the other members of the wing? Just to be prepared,” he reasoned, wanting to make sure he knew who he was going to be working with.

Satoru gave a slow but understanding smile and he nodded. “Of course. Your wingmates will be Jinyoung Park, Jungkook Jeon, Wooyoung Jang, and Taeyeon Kim. Are they familiar as well?” he prompted, one brow raised curiously.

“Yes, sir. Thank you,” he murmured appreciatively, ducking his head. They were familiar and he was glad for it. None of them were of the older generation and from what he’d heard, they didn’t tend to be hard to get along with. By all accounts, Jinyoung and Jungkook were pretty easygoing actually. He wasn’t sure how that would translate to working together, but he wasn’t going to argue with the Commander’s choice. He’d make it work regardless.

“Of course,” Satoru smiled, rolling the slip of paper back up and putting it away. “And with that, you are free to go, young one,” he chuckled, shooing his hand at the dragonrider in amusement.

Taekwoon laughed softly and got up, eager to be off. It meant he could find Jinki and they could get a bite to eat, fend off the likeable vultures who would be demanding more information from them, and then continue their library search. Their first search hadn’t turned up much in general. Just the usual facts about the history of the Aerie and pretty standard information. They had at least asked Jolin about it and she said she would take a look and see what she might be able to find. His fingers were crossed she’d had better luck than them.

Even though Taekwoon was a dragonrider and probably should have been sitting with the other dragonriders, he hadn’t been training with them yet so he didn’t feel particularly bad when he went to his usual position among the Aerie residents and staff. As expected, he was bombarded with questions, mostly from Sanghyuk and Joy who seemed determined to outdo the other in terms of sheer number of questions asked. But Wonshik had to chime in, not unexpectedly, followed by comments from Amber, actually in attendance today. So was Jimin too, for that matter. And Himchan, though Taekwoon had the feeling his presence was partially professional. After all, Taekwoon’s situation was hardly standard.

Bahamut bless Jinki though. The man had a way of steering the conversation when he needed to and pulling difficult questions from Taekwoon. He was also beautifully adept at noticing when they were difficult questions for him… though that could have just been because he knew him very well. It was hard enough to be open and honest with Jinki, much less with entirely too loud and energetic friends in an entirely too open public space.

“Oh come on. We all know you’ve spent the last moon visiting the Paramours’ quarters, but no one will tell us why,” Wonshik complained, pointing at Taekwoon as if he expected the dragonrider to answer. He did not. In fact, he was having a hard enough time not flushing scarlet at the implications. “Especially not the Paramours,” he added with a sly wink, earning a smack in the back of the head from Amber.

“Which you would know because you _do_ visit them,” she scoffed, giving her friend a long suffering side long look.

“What? It’s what they’re there for, if they choose,” he shrugged, rubbing the back of his head gently.

“True, but we all know Taekwoon is _definitely_ not like you, Wonshik,” Sanghyuk laughed, leaning back when the other man pulled his hand back like he was going to hit him.

“Yeah, yeah,” the orange haired individual waved, composing himself quickly as his smile turned mischievous. “Still. I know he wasn’t visiting Hyosung and I have it on very good authority he wasn’t visiting Heechul either. Which means you had to be seeing-”

“Gain!” the rest of the group whispered in quiet excitement, making Taekwoon blink and try to shrink in his seat.

“You were with a dragon?!” Joy asked in wide eyed awe.

“Guys,” Jinki interrupted them with a nonplussed look and a raised brow. As a group, everyone seemed to remember who else was present and they immediately looked in every direction but his. “If you must know,” he started with a quick glance at Taekwoon. “He was undergoing special training. And no,” he stated firmly with his hand in the air. “Not _that_ kind, so get your heads out of the brothel,” he mock scowled, both reprimanding their loose tongues but also easing the tension.

“But,” Wonshik couldn’t quite let it go. “Taekwoon. Gain. Paramour quarters,” he gestured between the rider and the mentioned but absent dragon.

“It had to do with my Symbiosis,” Taekwoon finally offered, officially done eating whether he wanted to be or not. “Being a formerly bound dragon, she had valuable insight I needed,” he explained simply.

“That’s right,” Himchan spoke up and leaned forward. “She _has_ experienced Symbiosis before. And no longer being bound, she would also have greater freedom to… explain it?” he offered hesitantly, clearly missing information but trying.

“Exactly,” Jinki agreed with a firm nod. “But really, what you should be more interested in is that Taekwoon will start training _with_ his dragon on the morrow.”

“Good luck,” Jimin finally spoke up with an encouraging nod. “After last time, I would think you might be a bit nervous?”

Now that was a half-question he could handle. “No,” he grinned, feeling a pleased hum inside from his dragon. “I think we’re good now.” And with that, the conversation veered in a much more manageable direction. He was still a bit cagey about how fully he answered some questions, as he didn’t quite know what was public knowledge yet and they’d find out soon enough anyway. But his friends were at least moderately satisfied by the time he and Jinki headed for the library.

Per Jolin, she hadn’t found much herself, being busy with her usual classes and such, but she had located a couple older tomes that might have some useful information in them. “But you have to be careful because they are old and they haven’t been transcribed in a while,” she warned with a slightly confused look. “I might need to get someone on that soon…” she added, still a little put off by the realization.

“Thank you, Master Jolin,” Jinki grinned, gingerly accepting the three tomes and absconding with them to a more private room in the back. Taekwoon followed along easily with a curious glance at Jolin. He found it odd that she hadn’t retrieved them for transcribing and even more so that she had apparently forgotten or lost track of them. It just didn’t seem like her. It felt... off.

But he didn’t have time to worry about it now since Jinki immediately gave him one to start poring over. Jolin was right though. The pages were old and brittle, almost breaking under their fingers despite their care. As a result, it was also very slow going, but almost immediately, they noticed tidbits of interesting things. Nothing outright, and certainly nothing particularly easy, what with it being written in an old tongue manner – some of the words were very strange – but one of the books mentioned magic.

“Like, actual magic?” Taekwoon wondered, noticing the word for ‘spell’ about something. But it was hard to read. And not just because of the words, but also because the pages sometimes seemed to blur and he definitely got a headache pretty early on.

“Maybe?” Jinki hummed, apparently dealing with some of the same problems if the grimace on his face was any indication.

After nearly a mark of trying, Taekwoon sighed, “I hate to say it. But maybe we need to try this with fresh eyes next time.”

Pushing away and rubbing his eyes with both hands, Jinki groaned. “I think you might be right. This is worse than trying to read first year students’ writing.”

Taekwoon chuckled at the response but could only nod in agreement. It was strangely difficult and that also felt a bit off to him. Especially because this was a first and it happened to be with tomes that Jolin hadn’t remembered to transcribe and that had such unusual comments in them already. “Why don’t we just keep them back here for now and come back when we have more time?” he suggested, carefully closing his book with a final glance at the page he was on.

“No arguments there,” Jinki exhaled, doing the same thing before he stood up stiffly. “Feels like it’s been a long day anyway.”

“You’re telling me,” Taekwoon laughed through his nose as he moved closer and placed a tentative hand against Jinki’s lower back.

“Right. You did have that little duel this morning, didn’t you?” he asked, looking over his shoulder with a smile and partially narrowed eyes. But he didn’t move and he didn’t push Taekwoon away either.

“I wouldn’t say it was a _little_ duel. We were both dragons after all,” he added with a nonchalant shrug.

“Uh huh,” Jinki’s smile widened and he turned around so he could ease his arms loosely behind Taekwoon’s neck. “And you said you’re a bronze dragon?” he asked.

“Yes, I am. Jonghyun’s a little bigger than me though,” he had to clarify as he placed his hands on Jinki’s waist.

“Is that so?” he chuckled. At Taekwoon’s nod, his expression turned intrigued. “What color dragon do you think I’d be?”

Taekwoon looked at him with thoughtfully narrowed eyes for just a moment before he answered, “Silver.”

“What?” he scoffed with a roll of his eyes. “I am nothing like Bahamut or Hero,” he added, caught between thinking Taekwoon was joking or actually being serious. When the dragonrider just continued to look at him without laughing or changing his choice, Jinki had to ask. “Why?”

“Because you know how to lead. You want to be an Aerie Master after all. And you know when to take charge if you have to,” he added, stepping forward to rest their foreheads together. “Not to mention you probably don’t have the agility for a white, the energy for a blue or a red, or the stamina for bronze or copper,” he teased with a playful wink.

“Ugh,” Jinki grumbled, wrinkling his nose at the taller man. “You’re terrible.”

“You know I’m right,” he smiled in gentle amusement.

“That’s why you’re terrible,” Jinki retorted with a roll of his eyes. “A normal person wouldn’t have actually said it out loud. Jerk,” he added, very lightly smacking the back of Taekwoon’s head with his hand.

It made Taekwoon laugh. “Sorry.”

“No you’re not,” Jinki laughed under his breath, fingers carding through Taekwoon’s hair slowly. He looked up into the taller man’s eyes and took a small breath. “It’s getting late though. We should probably think about turning in for the night.”

“Yeah,” Taekwoon agreed, though he made no effort to move yet. “Tomorrow will probably be a pretty big day.”

“Probably,” Jinki nodded. He licked his lips and took another small breath before he turned his face up and gave Taekwoon a chaste kiss on the lips before stepping back. His hands trailed down the other man’s arms until their fingers caught. “Good night, Taekwoon. See you tomorrow,” he murmured wistfully, freeing one hand.

Taekwoon held the other though. “Not tonight?”

“Not tonight,” Jinki echoed, shaking his head. “Not yet.”

That hurt. But Taekwoon didn’t let it show. Instead, he pulled Jinki’s hand up while he bowed and kissed the back of his fingers. “Tomorrow then, my heart.” Jinki smiled again and nodded. This time when he pulled away, Taekwoon let him, albeit reluctantly. When he was gone, Taekwoon groaned and scrubbed his face with both hands.

He was pleasantly surprised when he felt a question thread come through. _Okay?_

Taekwoon smiled and laughed once, nodding to himself. _Yes. Mate._

_Ah._

Yep. It was much easier to be on the way to breaking things as opposed to fixing things. Granted, he couldn’t complain. They were talking again. And getting close. And spending time together. They just weren’t sharing the same bed again. Yet. Soon? Hopefully. He just knew that he slept better when Jinki was in his arms. Exhaustion worked wonders as a temporary binding, but it was no real substitute.

“Bahamut give me strength,” he prayed once more before he took himself back to his room, alone, so he could try to get some rest for whatever happened on the morrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had to overhaul their conversation in the beginning but I like how it turned out the second time around. lol Now we've got them back on the path towards being together and there's a hint of magic in the air - literally if the book is to be believed. Hmm. Now why would there be mysterious books hiding in the library? hehe We'll get to them. ;) Just hang tight! As always, thank you for reading and I hope you're looking forward to the next update!


	21. Battalion Training and a Duel

Though it was really quite light, the harness was heavy in his hands as Taekwoon stared at Jonghyun, nervous all of a sudden. He hadn’t been flying since the last time they’d tried. When they’d both been hurt. But Hero wasn’t here – even if Boa and Eunhyuk were as precautionary measures – and he knew there was no reason for him to be afraid. It was just hard to convince his body of that fact.

Jonghyun reached his nose forward and gently pressed it against Taekwoon’s hand and chest. There were no words through the bond. They weren’t needed. Taekwoon exhaled slowly and let a smile creep onto his face as he placed his hand on Jonghyun’s nose, feeling joy and hope rise as the dragon didn’t pull away. “Okay, Jonghyun. Let’s do this,” he whispered, licking his lips as he moved to secure the harness.

Jongup was there but he wouldn’t have his own harness yet. As a result, he hovered next to Eunhyuk, trying not to look fidgety beside the completely composed copper. Taekwoon’s new wing had to see how he and Jonghyun worked first before they could add the other blue. And he was praying to Bahamut that their newfound understanding would hold and it would work today. Insoo had already pulled him aside to make sure before he confirmed that Taekwoon and his copper would be in the front part of their formation.

Their group had three heavies, all of whom would play vanguard for the middle and light weights. Gunwoo, a bronze, would take point as Insoo’s dragon. Taekwoon and Jonghyun would ride on the left side and Jinyoung and JB, another copper dragon, would fly on the right. In the rear, Jungkook and V, a blue, would shadow Taekwoon, while on the right, Wooyoung and Junho, a red, would shadow Jinyoung. In the middle and free to move about as needed, Taeyeon would loosely stay with her white, Seohyun.

Nerves were high as everyone shifted in place, waiting for the rest of their wing to get ready to practice. Other wings were in the area and already airborne, practicing maneuvers. Taekwoon felt self-conscious about being the hold up, but Insoo reassured him. “The first day riding with a wing is always tough,” he promised, clapping the younger man on the shoulder. “First day and heading immediately into Battalion training…” he trailed off with a sympathetic nod of his head.

“Yeah,” Taekwoon agreed heavily. He thought he’d been prepared, but now that he was here, it seemed daunting. He had just started to learn how to work with his dragon alone, much less in a group.

“Just watch me and JB and try to get a feel for the movements of the rest of the wing. We’re gonna start with some formation drills first and then move into combat maneuvers,” Insoo explained before he drifted over to check with the rest of his team.

It was impossible to miss the furtive glances sent his way. The questions were obvious. Why was he in their wing? What if he couldn’t keep up? What if he lost control again? He had to bite his lip to keep from reacting otherwise. This time, he did feel something from Jonghyun. It was reassurance but also a challenge. Not at him, but at the others. That would have been alarming if he didn’t recognize it for what it was. He didn’t want to challenge their group exactly. He wanted to challenge their circumstances.

_We go._

Taking a breath and some reassurance from his dragon, he murmured back, “Yes. We do.” Taekwoon flexed his hands and then awkwardly clambered onto Jonghyun’s back, the action earning mild amusement and scorn. His ears burned but he refused to react. Honestly, it wasn’t bad considering it was his second attempt with the new harness.

Irritation sang through their bond. _We show them._

Taekwoon took another breath and pat Jonghyun’s shoulder. “Yes we will.”

“Form up!” Insoo called, holding his fist in the air as he looked back, black hair cropped short to keep it from getting in his face. Jittery with nerves, Taekwoon let Jonghyun shuffle into place where he knew he should be. From his vantage, he watched the others get to their positions with practiced ease. Their wing leader looked back to double check, a satisfied smile on his face even as he looked over Taekwoon and Jonghyun. “We fly!” he crowed, grinning hard as Gunwoo launched them into the air.

Taekwoon didn’t need to prompt Jonghyun. The copper knew well enough what to do and he followed easily, keeping up with JB and staying ahead of V without much trouble. As a rider, he was still worried, but through their bond, he could tell his dragon knew what was expected. Their first lap was easy: a nice large circle around the Aerie with everyone in formation as usual.

Looking at Insoo, Taekwoon knew he was keeping a special eye on them. He could feel the attention from the rest of the wing too, but he was determined not to botch this. Settling himself more comfortably, feeling the way his dragon moved beneath him and how the wind sailed past, he took a breath and surrendered himself to the ride. He was not in control after all. His only responsibility was to make sure they did as expected and to protect his dragon. He could do that. With that certainty, a slow smile spread across his face and he waited for the next shift.

It didn’t take long. “Up!” Insoo commanded, pulling their formation into a hard climb.

Jonghyun loved the challenge. Taekwoon fed off his energy and leaned close with an almost manic smile. Glancing over, he saw they were keeping abreast of JB quite well. And then Insoo and Gunwoo did a half loop in midair, turning them upside down so they could start spiraling back down again. Just like in training with Gain… Taekwoon grinned harder as they fell into position easily, banking in a slow descent with their descending circles growing ever faster.

Taekwoon could feel what Jonghyun was feeling. He knew what the dragon wanted to do and what was he was going to do. Dragons did not always live in groups but they seemed to have an almost preternatural sense about where each one was when in a larger gathering. In this flight, Jonghyun fit in perfectly and Taekwoon knew he was only a passenger this time. He wanted to shout his joy, but didn’t think that would be appropriate here, so he held his tongue, but he knew Jonghyun felt it and reveled in the sensation too.

Their wing leveled out swiftly, resuming standard positioning. Glancing back to make sure all was well again, Insoo smiled in satisfaction and called once more. “Vanguard assault!” Taekwoon was briefly lost before he felt through Jonghyun what the intention was. At the fore, Gunwoo roared a challenge and surged forward while on the right, JB did the same. Not to be outdone, Jonghyun followed a half breath behind, catching up easily and holding pace as they flapped hard, racing towards some imaginary foe.

Terrible roars screamed overhead as V and Junho made their moves, launching from the airstream the copper dragons had created and racing into the front. Taekwoon watched as they did a strange kind of pounce maneuver, jumping over the copper dragons onto imaginary foes ahead before leaping up and doing a loop to bring themselves back into their proper position. At nearly the same time, Seohyun snuck under them, silent and fast, before shooting up directly in front of Gunwoo and zooming past to perform a nice tight loop back into her position.

Had a foe been in that position, she would have easily been able to eviscerate it. If not, she could also perform a perfect blinding pass with that maneuver. Taekwoon was pulled from his thoughts as Insoo called another shift. “Defensive wall, right!” As before, Jonghyun was a half breath behind them, but he caught on quickly. The heavies pivoted and hovered awkwardly in place, holding their ground to, probably, hinder or block incoming attackers. As they held, the blue and red climbed up to make a downward dive while the white dragon did the opposite, coming up from below. They pseudo-mirrored the bronze and coppers as they raced back, plucking imaginary riders from their dragons’ backs as they did so.

Pride filled Taekwoon as he and his dragon followed suit, but it was quickly chilled when he realized that such tactics could be used against them as well. While it didn’t disrupt his ability to participate, it did cover him with a chilling pall he couldn’t shake for the duration of their training.

Not quite as bad as Seunghyun, or Gain for that matter, Insoo was still a demanding but fair taskmaster. They halted their practice well before the afternoon meal so they’d have plenty of time to cool their dragons down and wash themselves off. When they landed, Insoo made sure to ride Gunwoo over to speak with Taekwoon.

“You did well today, greenie,” he grinned with a relaxed salute. “It certainly didn’t feel like it was your first day.” The statement was a half question.

Taekwoon shrugged. “I haven’t done any wing training, but a lot of the maneuvers were… familiar,” he explained hesitantly.

“Oh?” the wing leader blinked in surprise.

“They felt that way at least,” he covered quickly, not sure how well known his reversed bonding was. “And really, Jonghyun did most of the work. I just… followed his lead.”

That got another strange reaction from Insoo. “You weren’t directing him?”

Taekwoon blinked in confusion and shook his head. “No. He didn’t need me to. He followed JB and kept pace as necessary.”

“Huh,” the other man remarked, glancing down at Gunwoo with a curious expression. “Interesting. But still,” he nodded, clapping his hands together once. “Good job and welcome to the wing.”

“Thank you, sir,” Taekwoon smiled, giving Jonghyun a quick pat in reassurance.

“Just Insoo, please,” the wing leader laughed. “Sir makes me feel old.”

“Alright, Insoo,” Taekwoon tried hesitantly, relaxing when the other man smiled at the usage and then wandered off to check with the others.

“Are you sure this was your first day?” Jinyoung, JB’s rider, asked as he sidled up on the other copper dragon.

“Far as I know,” Taekwoon answered with an uncertain blink.

He looked unsure for a moment before he just shrugged and grinned. “Keep that up and we’ll be the best wing in the Battalion in no time. Good job,” he congratulated like their wing leader.

“Thanks,” the newest rider nodded, pretending confidence when their reactions were making him feel anything but. He definitely needed to talk to Dongwan at some point…

But that necessity couldn’t dampen his elation about his first successful Battalion training day. As instructed, he took care of Jonghyun who was also being checked over intently by Jongup, and then washed himself off before he went in search of Jinki. His excitement bubbled over when he saw him and he couldn’t stop himself from picking the other man up and spinning him around in joy.

“Whoa!” Jinki gasped, clinging hard to Taekwoon. “What happened?” he asked breathlessly when he was finally set down.

“Battalion training!” Taekwoon answered in energetic excitement. “You should have seen it, Jinki! Jonghyun was amazing! He fit in perfectly and we really flew as a pair and as a wing today. It was… was… I can’t even describe it,” he explained in a rush.

“Wow,” Jinki blinked, taken aback by the unexpected response. “Guess I didn’t need to worry then.”

“No. I thought we did, because we’ve never done this before but Insoo and even Jinyoung thought we did really well, but it’s strange…” he added, forcefully calming himself down so that he’d stop talking so fast. “I wasn’t controlling Jonghyun during the flight but I think they thought I was. Or at least should be,” he explained, chewing the inside of his lip.

“Is that not normal?” Jinki asked uncertainly, grabbing Taekwoon’s hand and pulling him along so they could start heading towards the dining hall.

“I don’t know. I’ve never learned one way or the other. But I think it might be for the other riders,” he murmured, tapping on his lip in thought.

“Can you ask Dongwan about it?” he wondered, looking over his shoulder.

“I was going to,” Taekwoon responded, brow furrowed. He was still worrying the problem over when he noticed that something was a little off with Jinki instead. “You okay?” he asked gently, giving a reassuring squeeze on the hand that held his.

Jinki sighed and took a small breath. “The High Priest is supposed to be coming tomorrow or the day after,” he admitted, seemingly conflicted.

Taekwoon understood that feeling. Most people found the High Priest charming or reassuring. He didn’t like him. Unfortunately, he had no good reason for it. “Yeah? Do we know why?” The look Jinki gave him was all the answer he needed. “Ah. Aerie Master stuff. Sorry,” he mumbled, feeling left out but mostly helpless.

“It’s alright,” Jinki reassured. “Satoru will do most of the talking and… we’ll know what we need to know,” he shrugged, knowing there was nothing much else to say.

“Right. So… we still on for the library tonight?” he asked as they made their way into the dining hall.

“Maybe? I thought you had training with the riders later and I know you’re dueling Seunghyun soon,” Jinki countered, glancing at the tables of dragonriders already settling in for the afternoon meal.

Taekwoon opened his mouth to object but then recalled he did have new lessons with the Combat Master. His schedule had been shuffled around again now that he wasn’t attending lessons with Gain anymore. “You’re right. I don’t know,” Taekwoon grumbled, stalling in the doorway for a moment.

“Well, we can talk about it later. For now, I do believe you’re supposed to join your wing this time,” Jinki encouraged, giving Taekwoon a quick peck on the cheek before he flashed him a smile and then stumbled away, flushing in mild embarrassment at the slip.

“Careful!” Taekwoon winced, reaching quickly before pulling back as his other half recovered well enough. He’d rather be sitting with people he did know but… it was also probably a good idea to get to know the riders he’d be flying with as well. With a quick mental check on Jonghyun, he smiled and nodded to himself before braving the new crowd.

Insoo was exactly what he expected and already knew about him. Jinyoung and Jungkook too for that matter. Wooyoung was a bit harder to read, but he seemed alright overall. He certainly worked with his red well so that was something. And as one of the few women in the Battalion, Taeyeon was surprisingly kind. Oh, she could fight with the best of them, apparently, but in conversation, she was pretty close to the equivalent of sunshine. She reminded him of Hyoyeon but with less energy.

And they were interested enough in him. He wasn’t an enigma in the Aerie but he was unusual. His performance with Jonghyun today had only stoked the fires of curiosity and he spent the better part of his afternoon meal fielding questions and trying not to let them dig too deep too quickly.

After he ate, he had regular classes to return to. He was almost finished, and once they were complete he could take optional ones if he wished, but for now, Dragon Behavior and an extended Theology class were on the docket. They weren’t bad but they certainly weren’t things he wanted to focus on. Not when he had new combat lessons right after.

Instead of soloing with Seunghyun as he’d been doing, Taekwoon was abruptly introduced to a new world of combat: dragonrider fighting. It was like normal combat – on the ground and with standard weapons, but there was also the possibility of dragon back combat. And even scaling combat in case there were two fighting on the side of a dragon. While Taekwoon knew how to fight as a dragon and as a man, fighting as a man on a possible dragon was something new entirely.

The first few rounds, his wing mates essentially wiped the floor with him. It worried him because he could feel the familiar itching of his dragon half trying to bubble up from the frustration. But Jonghyun sent a wordless reassurance and Taekwoon reminded himself to give up on thinking so hard. Once he did that, it started to come together. Not perfect or even great, but at least passable. He could accept that.

And then at the end of a very long day, Taekwoon trudged back to his room, but he was surprised to find Jinki waiting outside of it. He was sitting on the ground and he looked up when he heard footsteps. “Woonie,” he murmured, getting to his feet.

“Jinki,” Taekwoon smiled, drawing close enough to take one hand in his. “What are you…?”

“I was thinking…” he started, trailing off uncertainly with a glance at the door.

“Yes,” the rider smiled with a nod and a reassuring squeeze.

Jinki laughed once and then pointed his finger at the other man. “But only sleeping.”

“That sounds good,” Taekwoon admitted, speaking slow and soft.

“Oh. You sound so tired, love,” his other half smiled, brushing the longer bangs out of his face before cupping his cheek in his hand and rising up just a touch to kiss the corner of his mouth.

“I am,” he admitted with no shame, pleasantly warmed by the attention. Tiredly, he folded Jinki into his arms and hugged him close. He made the mistake of closing his eyes in contentment and very nearly sent himself off into dreamland.

“Woonie,” Jinki laughed, catching him around the waist so he could help guide him back into the room. “You _are_ tired,” he confirmed, shaking his head. “At least take your shoes off,” he chided gently when Taekwoon was happy enough to just fall on the bed.

Doggedly, he sat up and kicked his shoes away before falling back on the bed and then reached one hand out for Jinki. “My heart,” he murmured, already half asleep.

“Oh, you foolish man,” Jinki chuckled, making sure to close the door before he shuffled over in the near dark and plopped down on the bed beside him. Taekwoon didn’t know how long it took Jinki to fall asleep, but as soon as he felt the other man settle in his arms, he was out.

It was a much needed respite and a grounding he didn’t know he needed. Having Jinki back in his life as a constant helped him in training the following day when he had to return for more dragon back drills. They were exhausting in a new way and it was a challenge to try and adapt quickly so that he wouldn’t be a drain on the rest of the wing. While they weren’t all practiced professionals with years under their belt, they had been at least working at it for moons, if nothing else. Taekwoon had a lot of time to make up for.

He also had a duel to settle with Seunghyun. Fortunately, he was given notice ahead of time so that he’d be ready on the morrow. Taekwoon gave Jinki the news later in the day and his other half said he’d be there to watch. It made the dragonrider feel both calm and excited. And at least a little bit worried. Admittedly, he liked showing off for Jinki, but he hoped the pendulum didn’t swing the other direction instead…

He half expected to be called to meet the Combat Master at first light, but Taekwoon was mildly surprised when his (and his wing’s) training schedule was altered. They all hurried for flight training first with combat training scheduled for later in the afternoon. Jonghyun was happy enough for the change, as he preferred the cooler temperatures in the mornings anyway. Not that it was cold yet, though the days had started to turn into cool nights.

While they were going through their drills, Taekwoon felt Jonghyun’s curiosity through their bond and he wondered why, not seeing what the dragon must have. Distracted, they missed a cue and fell a wingbeat behind, but the copper made up for it swiftly, returning his attention to the flight patterns. His rider wasn’t so focused and he thought he saw a few new dragons in the Aerie landing. Ones without Bahamut’s barding or the Battalion’s markings. He had little time for guesswork as his stomach dropped when Jonghyun did, taking them both into a quick dive that pulled up into a climbing spiral. Pushing whatever newness was there out of mind, Taekwoon sank into the flying drills and soaked up the thrill of the flight instead.

When they landed, they set about to take care of their dragons first and then started to move to take care of themselves. Sanghyuk showed up with a crooked grin to grab Taekwoon before he could go anywhere though. “The Combat Master calls,” he mock bowed with a mischievous grin.

“Now?” Taekwoon blinked in surprise, caught a little off guard. He’d been expecting it, of course, but not right then…

“I’m just the messenger,” Sanghyuk shrugged as he stood up. “He told me to come get you so here I am.”

The dragonrider frowned slightly. He turned to pat Jonghyun’s shoulder and give him one final rub before nodding once and shrugging. “I guess there’s nothing else for it. Can you let Jinki know?” he asked, glancing around to see if the other man was anywhere in the vicinity.

“Sure! I don’t have any other messages to deliver anyway,” the younger man grinned, following Taekwoon’s search.

“Thanks,” he murmured, taking a small breath. _Wish me luck,_ he called to his dragon as he walked off without looking back.

_No need. You will be fine,_ Jonghyun responded confidently. The certainty with which his dragon answered was gratifying indeed. _Mate thinks so too._ And that was even better. So much so that he couldn’t help the grin that crossed his face.

His expression faltered just a touch when he got to the Training Hall though. He had an audience. Seunghyun he expected. Likewise for Jinki, who had somehow gotten there before him. But he hadn’t been expecting Satoru or Commander Eric and he most certainly hadn’t guessed the High Priest would be in attendance. Elation turned quickly into wary neutrality.

_Problem?_ Jonghyun questioned when he felt the shift.

_High Priest,_ Taekwoon responded without an outward response.

_Ah. Explains new dragons,_ his copper responded with a hint of distaste.

_Dragons?_

_Four. No riders._

_Hmm…_ he hummed mutely, letting his body carry him toward Seunghyun as expected regardless. He flinched just a bit when the taller man tossed him a sheathed sword. Glancing at it curiously, he realized it was live iron and he took a breath.

“Prepare yourself,” Seunghyun commented softly, a half-smile tugging at his mouth.

“Yes, sir,” Taekwoon answered quickly, saluting with the still sheathed weapon. A true duel it was to be then. _Let’s go_ , he murmured, feeling Jonghyun’s presence bolster him invisibly. He ignored everyone else, even Jinki and especially the High Priest, as he focused his attention to the Combat Master and the blade he held in his hands.

Face to face, they paused for two heartbeats before Seunghyun launched into a blistering attack that set Taekwoon on the defensive immediately. Scrambling to catch up, he could do little more than block, block, block! Side step. Parry and dodge. Retreat, block! Retreat, parry! Always giving ground. Frustration gnawed at him and his lips pulled back to bare his teeth. His dragon half itched under his skin and he was briefly afraid he might lose control again. It cracked his focus just enough and he hissed when the Combat Master’s sword drew first blood.

Seunghyun hesitated for just a heartbeat to see how the other man would react, his face an unreadable mask. Taekwoon’s shifted into the draconic growl and he could feel his dragon half rising. “No…” he hissed through clenched teeth, seemingly frozen in place.

_Stop fighting it,_ Jonghyun urged quickly. _Trust._

Taekwoon blinked once, something in him loosening. Seunghyun moved then, his blade catching the dragonrider’s and twisting it free. In that moment, everything seemed to slow down to a crawl as Taekwoon’s vision changed, focusing on the flying blade and zooming in. His skin tingled as if an army of ants were crawling over it. Every hair stood on end. A breath rose from his belly, lifting him up and filling him. Movement in his periphery warned him of the follow through attack.

Coming to life once more, Taekwoon shifted the sheath in his hand. He used it as a sword as he caught Seunghyun’s blade and guided it to the ground. Blade to the dirt, he sprang over it in a rolling leap that sent him tumbling after his airborne sword. His back prickled in warning. Taekwoon’s sword touched the ground, the tip sliding in the dirt as it did, leaving the handle in the air as if waiting. Reaching fingers curled around it as he lunged ahead. Left arm swung back with the sheath, haphazardly knocking Seunghyun’s chasing attack away.

Right arm drew close, pulling the blade near his body. Left arm followed. Momentum carried Taekwoon’s body forward. Legs pushed off to change his angle as he managed a rough side roll. Right arm and side and hip caught the brunt. Body rolled to his back. Knees pulled close and feet ready. He let momentum keep him moving as his left side touched the ground. Left hand with sheath hit as toes caught at the dirt. Right hand and sword followed. One quick push got him upright as his planted feet slid. Sharpened eyes looked up.

Seunghyun attacked, a bare breath behind. Taekwoon’s sword and sheath rose to block the powerful strikes, holding firm as the solid weight pushed against him. “No,” he huffed once, voice soft but powerful as dragon and man were in complete agreement.

The Combat Master’s eyes narrowed once and Taekwoon almost thought he could see his own eyes in the brown ones looking back at him. They seemed strangely bright… But then Seunghyun moved and he was left to react once more. Block, block, strike! Parry, feint. Strike, strike, dodge! Far from the constant retreating, this time their exchange felt more like a dance and while Taekwoon recognized he still wasn’t good enough to win outright, he did revel in it.

“Enough,” Seunghyun called at last, breaking apart fast enough to leave Taekwoon surprised.

His target gone and focus broken, he stumbled and exhaled once, most of the combat energy leaving him as quickly as it had come. “Oh…” he groaned, kneeling when a strange weakness hit him all at once.

_Well done,_ he heard Jonghyun preen. Breathing hard, Taekwoon accepted the praise and blinked hard, his eyes feeling strange.

“Are you alright, Taekwoon?” the Combat Master asked as he drew close, his weapon sheathed and a hand offered to help him up.

Uncertainly, the dragonrider nodded and accepted the gesture. “I think so. Just a little tired,” he admitted with a breathy laugh.

“It’s no wonder,” Seunghyun commented, giving a respectful nod his direction. “You have a… surprising ability to react. Almost before you seem to realize you’re doing it,” he snorted once with a closer look at Taekwoon’s eyes again.

“Thank you, sir,” he responded, not sure what else to say to that.

The Combat Master shrugged once and then extended his hand expectantly, a glance at the sword confirming what he wanted. He grunted in acknowledgement when it was handed over. “Now, you’ve earned a short respite so I suggest you clean up and get food quickly. I imagine Satoru will be asking for you before too long,” he explained with a glance at where the Aerie Master had been standing previously.

Taekwoon was half relieved they weren’t there anymore, but he was pleasantly surprised to see a very awed Jinki still standing at the edge of the training grounds. He almost called out to him but remembered he was still near the Combat Master. “Thank you, sir. I will,” he bowed, backing away at the same time.

“Off with you,” Seunghyun mock scowled, offering a nod at the Aerie Master trainee in turn before he also took his leave.

As soon as Taekwoon got close enough, Jinki seemed to be able to breathe again. “What was that?!” he asked in breathless wonder, eyes still wide in his face.

For a moment, Taekwoon didn’t know if he was excited, worried or both. Taking one of Jinki’s hands in his, the dragonrider hesitantly explained, “I think that was me actually achieving a true balance with my dragon half.”

“Really?” Jinki gasped, blinking in surprise. “I mean, I saw the change and was worried for a moment. But then…” he trailed off, laughing with a mesmerized grin on his face.

“Yeah,” Taekwoon nodded in agreement. “I felt the shift coming too. I was fighting it,” he murmured, brow furrowed. “But then Jonghyun told me to stop and… it felt like…” He hesitated as it was difficult to describe. One hand gestured in front of him like he was trying to conjure the words. “Not putting on armor exactly, but like… power,” he shrugged, mouth quirking to the side when that didn’t quite feel right either.

“I could hardly believe my eyes to be honest,” Jinki laughed, reaching to grab Taekwoon’s other free hand. “I thought for sure that Seunghyun was going to win early on and then you just… You changed,” he whispered, expression dancing with energetic fascination. “It didn’t even look like you were fighting at the end,” he admitted, a half-question obvious.

“I was, but I wasn’t,” the dragonrider offered slowly. “I mean, we _were_ fighting. But it felt more like a dance,” he added, eyes slightly narrowed as if to check that was the word he meant to use.

“Well. Whatever it was,” Jinki hummed, stepping close to look into Taekwoon’s eyes carefully. “You were amazing,” he smiled before giving the other man a quick kiss on the lips.

“Thank you,” Taekwoon murmured as pleased warmth suffused him. He squeezed Jinki’s fingers a bit tighter and then wondered, “Did my eyes change at all during the fight?”

Jinki paused and chewed on his lip thoughtfully. “I wasn’t sure. I think they might have. They seemed strangely bright from where I was, but a lot was happening at one time. Why?”

Taekwoon shook his head and shrugged. “I thought I saw them in Seunghyun’s eyes. And it felt like my vision changed. Everything was… sharper. Clearer. It was strange,” he exhaled, biting on the inside of his lip.

“Everything okay now?” his other half asked worriedly.

“Yes,” he promised just as quickly. “I think it had to do with the dragon part of me. That’s all. I just… wasn’t expecting it,” he laughed, tilting his head to place a soft kiss on Jinki’s forehead.

“Ah,” the other man hummed in understanding.

“Come on. I need to wash up and I should probably get food before I’m called away again,” he explained with a wrinkled nose.

“Right. Satoru and the High Priest were watching you pretty closely,” Jinki agreed with a slow nod. “Well. Let’s get going then. I’ll help you wash your back and then we can get food before you disappear again,” he snorted with a wave of his hand once.

“My heart,” Taekwoon smiled warmly, holding tight to the one hand as he followed along in Jinki’s wake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I adore writing fight scenes. XD This one was fun because I actually had to pretend act it out to get the motions right. lol But the boys are doing better and so is Taekwoon and his dragon and things are finally smoothing out! Which we all know what that means... >.> But I do hope you've enjoyed this update and that you're looking forward to the next one. Thank you for reading and have a great day!


	22. High Priest's Interest

Walking into the Aerie Master’s office after being retrieved by Joy this time, felt disturbingly like walking into a wild dragon’s den. Satoru was his usual impeccable self with an unreadable expression, which was comforting in its own way. On the other hand, the High Priest looked and felt the same as always. Perfect on the outside with not a speck of dust on him or a piece of fabric out of place, but like last time, Taekwoon felt an uneasy sort of dissonance in himself when he was near the other man. And it only got worse when he started asking him questions.

“Greetings, Taekwoon,” the High Priest offered as soon as Taekwoon closed the door behind him.

“High Priest,” he bowed in response, keeping his eyes trained on him as much as politeness would allow.

“Thank you for joining us,” Satoru smiled from his desk and gestured towards the seats in the middle of the room. “Please. Sit down,” he suggested, nodding once in approval.

“Thank you, sir,” Taekwoon nodded back, carefully selecting a seat as far from the High Priest as he could. Not so difficult since the other man was sitting on the sofa with a cup of steaming tea in his hands.

“That was an impressive display of combat in the training hall earlier,” the High Priest murmured softly, taking a sip from his cup though his eyes remained on the dragonrider. “Satoru has been telling me how you’ve made great progress with your dragon and your draconic tendencies,” he added, setting the cup down on the saucer and placing both on the table.

“Yes, sir,” he agreed quickly, glancing between Satoru and the High Priest. The Aerie Master’s expression was carefully neutral, though Kevin’s eyes gleamed with almost too bright interest. It was… unnerving.

“You have gained control of them, yes?” he wondered curiously, hands folding elegantly in his lap. “I only ask because it looked as if you were about to lose control at one point in the ring,” he added calmly.

“I have,” he confirmed, swallowing once as he took a breath. “Though… today was the first day I was able to work _with_ my dragon half,” he had to add, though it was a tidbit he would have liked to have held closer for just a bit longer.

“Oh?” the High Priest hummed, and even Satoru looked interested in that revelation.

“As impressive as it was, I have to ask why Taekwoon is able to do that,” the Aerie Master spoke softly, his words aimed directly at the High Priest. “After all, none of the other dragonriders even show the hint of a dragon half much less are able to work with it,” he added, glancing at Taekwoon with a subtle nod. He was grateful for the question. It was not one that he would have thought or been brave enough to ask.

“My dear Satoru,” the High Priest laughed once. “While it is common knowledge that a rider and dragon pairing grant the dragon more human intelligence, what should be equally obvious but apparently isn’t,” he added, the tone slightly condescending, “is that the Symbiosis is an exchange of sorts. Spirits. Souls. Energy,” he murmured, gesturing with his hand to pick one. “A piece of each is traded,” he explained, hands crossing to indicate a passage from one to the other. “Which is largely why they sometimes do not wish to continue living when one passes on and the other doesn’t. For dragons, the spirit remembers what it gained but loses the part of itself it traded and the human spirit. Same for the riders,” he explained with a gesture at Taekwoon.

“So if Jonghyun died, I would lose my dragon _and_ a part of myself?” Taekwoon asked hesitantly, the thought setting off a mildly alarmed reaction that alerted his dragon.

_Trouble?_

_No. Just concerning. Didn’t know we traded pieces of ourselves to bind,_ he admitted without letting the feelings show on his face.

_We did?_

_According to the High Priest,_ he explained with an internal shrug. It was gratifying his dragon hadn’t been aware either, but still disconcerting all the same.

“Correct,” the High Priest nodded. Taekwoon’s gut clenched at the thought and he instinctively shied away from the possibility, though he would remember for later. “Now. That aside, in a standard Symbiosis, the human… spirit is more dominant and given to the dragon while a smaller exchange is given by the dragon. In Taekwoon’s case,” he hesitated, gesturing at the rider with a side-eyed look as he waited expectantly for someone to fill in the blanks.

“The dragon is the dominant spirit in him,” Satoru answered, saving Taekwoon from having to. Admittedly, he wasn’t sure how to feel about the answer anyway.

“Exactly. Which is why you sometimes lose control in general,” he shrugged fluidly. “Dragons are powerful creatures. Driven by instinct and gifted with animal intuition, even without human intellect, they are formidable opponents. With it, they are incredible allies and companions. And you seem to have traits of both,” the High Priest smiled, his eyes expressively interested.

“Perhaps,” Satoru interjected, drawing some of the focus away from Taekwoon. “But he is still very much learning how to work with his dragons in a wing.”

“Dragons,” Kevin smiled, latching onto the plural. “Yes. I would imagine so. Taekwoon,” he called, shifting his attention back to the dragonrider.

“Yes?” he responded, tense and alert as he sat upright stiffly.

“Can you control your dragons?” the High Priest wondered curiously.

“No,” Taekwoon shook his head, frowning in uncertainty a breath later. “At least, I don’t think so. I… haven’t tried.”

“Hmm. Can you dragons control you?” the Priest continued.

Again, Taekwoon was uncertain. “Not that I know of. At least Jonghyun has never tried that I’m aware. And Jongup… I don’t know that he would even think to try.” _You can’t control me, right?_

Surprise flickered back. _Unsure. Never thought about it. Could try._

_That’s okay. Just checking._

“How is your bond with Jongup?” he asked next, the increased interest not sitting well with Taekwoon.

“It’s light. Not like a true bond. I share more of a link through Jonghyun because they are mates,” he explained, feeling his way with the words. He hadn’t really needed to explain it before and he wasn’t sure it was right but he was trying. “I _can_ talk to him, but usually only when we’re within seeing distance. And it’s more… feelings. Not words like I can share with Jonghyun.”

“Fascinating,” the High Priest crooned, glancing at Satoru in excitement. “You do realize we haven’t had a double bond with any riders in… centuries.”

“I wasn’t aware that we’d ever had double bonds,” the Aerie Master responded dryly, his eyes slightly narrowed.

Kevin waved his hand dismissively. “Like the backwards Symbiosis, it is not common for very good reason.” His attention shifted back to Taekwoon and made his stomach twist into a knot. “What about your… companion?” he asked, pausing as he searched for a good word. “Jinki. Does he have any connections to your dragons like you do with Jongup?” he asked intently, waiting for the answer.

It was not a question he wanted to respond to. Taekwoon glanced at Satoru and thought he saw a very subtle shake of his head. Looking back at the High Priest, he shook his head in turn and explained, “No. He has gotten closer to them as they are _my_ dragons, but he is not bound to them like I am.” It was mostly the truth and that would have to be good enough unless the High Priest somehow asked a more direct question about it.

“Pity,” was all he said instead, letting Taekwoon take an internal sigh of relief. “What about your combat training in the wing?” he asked suddenly, changing the direction of the combat.

Surprised by the shift, Taekwoon blurted the first thing that came to mind. “It’s good.”

The High Priest actually laughed at the statement and leaned forward. “I’m sure, but why? My understanding is that usually, the riders direct their dragons. But I’ve been told that you are almost merely a passenger as Jonghyun does the flying.”

Once more, Taekwoon glanced at Satoru uncertainly, but he was given no hints about how to respond this time. “Yes, sir. He doesn’t need me to tell him what he already knows. Better than I do especially. Our relationship is not just dragon and rider, but equals,” he stated firmly, knowing that to be true from the bruises and the fights and struggles they’d had to get there.

“Very interesting,” Kevin sighed, leaning forward to stare at Taekwoon as he propped his chin on his fist and rested his elbow on his knee. “I wonder if any of these traits are inheritable.”

Taekwoon blinked in surprise and was grateful when Satoru spoke the words he couldn’t. “As in passing on to any children?”

“Yes,” the High Priest chirped in response, glancing over his shoulder as if it should have been abundantly obvious. Of course it was, but they simply had to clarify to be sure.

“High Priest,” Taekwoon started uncertainly, gaining the other man’s full attention once more. “I have no intention of having children. My… companion and I cannot, after all.” He wanted to say mate but it didn’t seem right here. Not in front of the High Priest…

The High Priest waved his hand dismissively as he sat up and scoffed, “You needn’t be hand-fasted to have children.” Taekwoon’s expression darkened at the implications.

_Rider?_ The tone was slightly alarmed and concerned, with good reason.

_High Priest suggested children with anyone other than mate to see if they might inherit dragonrider qualities,_ he practically scowled.

Resonating anger washed back through their bond. _Betray mate?!_

_Never,_ he promised in return as he forcibly turned his attention back to the people in the room.

Taekwoon was very close to saying something he probably shouldn’t before the Aerie Master interrupted. “High Priest,” Satoru laughed once, the sound forced but tension breaking. “This is all conjecture at this point, and what you’re suggesting is a lot to consider at any given time,” he reminded the other man with a calming look at the dragonrider. “After all, Taekwoon has only recently become a full fledged Battalion member and he’s still learning what it means to be a rider as he is now.”

For just a heartbeat, it seemed as if the High Priest’s expression darkened behind his facial mask, but then it passed. “Apologies,” Kevin murmured with a soft smile, ducking his head just a touch. “I am merely fascinated by this occurrence, Satoru. It is not everyday that one gets to study it,” he explained with a gesture at Taekwoon.

“He’s not a test you know,” the Aerie Master stated firmly, looking at Taekwoon before he looked back at the priest.

“Of course not. But he is very unique at this time. You do realize that he has the dragon and human in almost perfect balance in him, yes?” he prompted, his energy stressful to Taekwoon given what they’d been talking about.

“And he has worked very hard to make it that way,” Satoru explained, gesturing reassuringly at Taekwoon.

“I’ve no doubt. Watching him this afternoon was almost like watching magic unfold before my eyes,” Kevin smiled, focusing intently on Taekwoon. The comment made him uneasy, as he’d only recently run across the mentions of magic in the tome in the library.

Satoru stood up from behind his desk then and moved around to casually interpose himself between the High Priest and Taekwoon. “I cannot fault you for your interest in Taekwoon, High Priest. It is fair to say that he is a rather interesting anomaly. One that is doing his best to be an asset to the Aerie, I assure you,” he bowed deeply, though he kept his gaze upon the other man. “That being said, he is but one dragonrider, your Holiness.”

“You are always so formal, Satoru,” Kevin pined, placing a hand over his wounded heart. It was a sudden shift from his more serious demeanor a moment ago. “Even after I’ve brought you three new dragons to add to your Aerie,” he explained, switching focus swiftly.

“Three _formerly_ bonded dragons that now need riders,” Satoru corrected immediately.

“Ah. But this is an Aerie after all. I’m sure that it won’t be a problem to find them suitable riders in the meantime. You _must_ have several former trainees who wouldn’t mind taking on the mantle after having failed their Trials,” the priest commented with a shrug. “And I must say. They are better than wilds, you know.”

“Of course,” Satoru bowed, the perfect picture of gratitude and grace. “It isn’t just anyone who can control wild dragons at their command.”

Taekwoon inhaled quietly at that bit of information. He’d always assumed the High Priest had arrived on a formerly bound dragon. If Satoru was to be believed though, he may well have come on a wild which meant he could actually _control_ dragons without being bound to them. _Is one of the new dragons a wild?_

Jonghyun responded after a mere heartbeat. _Huh. Yes._ Taekwoon did not like that.

“You are correct,” Kevin smiled and nodded in acknowledgment of that statement. “In addition, given the circumstances, I’ve heard having new formerly bound dragons might be very useful at the moment,” he added, looking at the Aerie Master intently. Taekwoon knew he was missing something, but he also didn’t want to bring attention on himself so he remained completely still and silent.

“You are correct,” the Aerie Master confirmed with a small nod, expression reasonably tense.

The High Priest stood up as if to get ready to leave, glancing at both Satoru and Taekwoon in the process. Before he moved away, he leaned close to Satoru and murmured loud enough for Taekwoon to hear, “I’m not sure how your Captain’s foray will go this time, but should he also be unsuccessful in locating the unusual dragonriders, I might suggest sending a different team. One with a different sort of dragonrider,” he shrugged, standing upright again. “After all, I’ve heard they have no bindings like with Bahamut and Tiamat. A more… natural bond might be more appealing to them.”

“We will keep your advice under consideration,” Satoru responded graciously. “And thank you for the dragons.”

“Of course, my child. May Bahamut bless you in these troubled times,” Kevin intoned, offering a small bow towards Satoru. Then he turned to the dragonrider and smiled. “And Taekwoon. Do keep our conversation in mind. I would be most interested in seeing if some of your traits could be inherited,” he stated simply, looking the younger man up and down quickly.

“High Priest,” Taekwoon mumbled with a small bow; it was really all he could muster.

Kevin did not seem to take offense. It actually appeared to amuse him. “Bahamut guide you on this most interesting path,” he responded instead, giving a small bow that the rider was then obligated to match.

As Kevin moved to leave, Satoru spoke softly, “May you walk ever in Bahamut’s light.”

“Indeed,” the High Priest murmured with the hint of a smirk, pausing as he looked over his shoulder. “The power of Tiamat is strong. And the hearts of men often weak. But Bahamut always offers salvation to those in need. I bid you good day,” he smiled and bowed deeper this time before stepping out of the office.

Distinctly uncomfortable, Taekwoon looked over at the Aerie Master who seemed to be focusing on something far away. At least until he realized the rider was looking at him. Then he smiled and waved a hand dismissively. “You did fine today, Taekwoon.”

He knew he should say thank you or something but the words just weren’t there. He couldn’t help the misgiving in his gut. To be fair, Jonghyun was just as confused – having followed along as best he could – so that wasn’t helping any. “That was an interesting conversation,” he hedged, certain that it was not normal by any stretch.

“Indeed it was, young rider,” Satoru sighed, a sure sign of just how unusual it was.

Suddenly guilty about his earlier omission, he mumbled, “Was it wrong to not tell him about Jinki and Jongup?”

The Aerie Master chuckled softly and shook his head. “Sometimes less is more. Or better in this case,” he snorted once, saying nothing else on the matter. He stood silent for a moment, expression pensive as he mulled thoughts over in his mind. Taekwoon let him, knowing he’d speak soon enough. “Do not feel you have to take his words to heart, Taekwoon,” he commented, gesturing towards the door where the High Priest had exited. “High Priest he may be, but you are still your own person. He does not control you,” he promised, the sound both firm and almost sad.

It made Taekwoon look at him just a little closer and wonder why he might feel sad about such a statement. “Thank you, sir,” was all he said instead, offering a more respectful and honest bow in return.

He nodded in acknowledgement and took a breath. “Now. You haven’t had much time to look, but have you made any progress on the mural?” he asked, changing the direction of the conversation with ease.

“Possibly,” Taekwoon blinked in confusion, almost compelled to answer.

“Good. Keep trying,” Satoru smiled before waving the dragonrider off, leaving him even more off kilter than before.

“Yes… sir,” he answered hesitantly. Not because he didn’t want to, but because he didn’t understand, and it just felt like it was starting to take on a new kind of importance. What secrets might be hiding behind the mural? Especially ones that Satoru would want to know about without tearing down the original. The possibilities were large but that also left a great deal of room for good and bad things. Such openness made his wary. It was always harder to prepare for something you couldn’t predict.

When he told Jinki about what happened later that evening, his other half was just as surprised by everything. Particularly about the mention of having children, but Taekwoon and his dragons were in complete agreement there. He was also concerned about the exchange of spirit pieces, but there was nothing to be done about it now. And really, beyond the conversation, the High Priest’s visit had caused quite a stir in the Aerie anyway.

As the High Priest had predicted, it wasn’t too difficult finding riders for the new formerly bound dragons. It wasn’t surprising that Wonshik had been quick to volunteer. After looking the creatures over, he asked for the kind of quirky blue who called himself Ken, and they certainly suited each other well enough. Aron, an older former trainee Taekwoon recalled working with in the kitchens from time to time, also volunteered and was paired with the large bronze, JR. Taekwoon thought Amber might have gone for the third dragon, but she declined, content with her current path. Instead, the older and already scarred from her Trials Jiyeon offered to ride the white Taemin.

They were certainly a welcome addition, but they weren’t without their flaws. While the dragons knew what to do and how combat worked, their new riders didn’t and that needed to be remedied quickly. The only problem was that they were starting to feel the lack of silver or gold dragons strong enough to guide them with a practiced steady hand. Most wings were already full – Taekwoon had been lucky with his timing – and one weak dragon and rider even in a practiced wing could be disastrous in actual combat.

After a brief conference with Dongwan, Eric, Hyesung, and Mimi, they ultimately decided to shuffle some of the wings around and pull three of the weakest riders and dragons to give them time to rest while the newest pairs trained. Surprisingly, or not, Gain offered to help put them through their paces. Rumor had it that her training sessions with Taekwoon had reminded her of what she’d left behind when she became a Paramour.

With that hiccup settled, the Aerie returned to a sense of normalcy. Though it was undoubtedly changed. Emptier. Nearly half the dragons and riders were sent out on patrols or answering summons while the other half remained and trained or switched out with returning wings as needed.

And Taekwoon felt like he barely had time to breathe, much less investigate the tomes he and Jinki had been given by Jolin. When his wing wasn’t being sent on close patrols, they were drilling or doing dragonback combat training. And when they weren’t doing that, they were finding ways to incorporate Jongup into the fighting style. Terrifyingly, albeit perversely excitingly if he was honest with himself, Taekwoon also started practicing dragon jumping. Jongup was fitted with a harness much like Jonghyun’s and they all flew quite high so that if he missed, someone in his wing would be able to help catch him before he fell too far. His wing got really good at catching him…

Really, it was often surprising to Taekwoon how a moon could pass by in what felt like days. Maybe it was because of always being busy. Or perhaps he was just very bad with time, but the seasons were starting to change and things felt like they were happening quickly.

Yunho’s wing returned without making contact with the unaligned dragonriders they sought, though they did run afoul of a wild or two. Every foray in the direction of Fantor just seemed to be a fool’s errand that only invited more trouble. Thankfully, Hyoyeon and Jongin did return, none the worse for wear, but they were accompanied by only three dragons and riders from the second wing that had been sent to the Kinshire coast. The other three had been taken or killed. None of them were sure. They’d only stayed as long as they had to try and see what they could do, but Dawnbringer wings had kept them at a distance for fear of sharing in a similar fate. Tiamat’s forces were slowly making headway into Bahamut’s lands.

Unable to keep the reality of what was happening in the north quiet, Satoru and Eric were forced to call an Aerie Meeting on the commons so everyone, dragons included, could attend. “The Dawnbringer forces are challenging us!” Taeyang, rider of the gold Jiyong and leader of the returned wing, cried out. “They have taken or killed our brothers and sisters,” he stated plainly, gesturing towards his remaining wing mates, Bom and Victoria. “We must take the fight to them!”

Around the Aerie, a low cry from several dragonriders answered his call. Commander Eric stepped forward, backed impressively by the regal presence of his gold, Andy. “Something must be done. Yes,” he agreed, looking around the gathered people and dragons, some of whom had taken seats on the various cliffs and buildings nearby. “But if this confrontation has shown us anything, it is that Tiamat’s forces are growing stronger and that we may not have the strength to meet them head on.”

Quiet whispers followed his announcement as unease spread through the crowds quickly. Taekwoon grabbed Jinki’s hand reassuringly, though kept his gaze trained on the High Dragon Commander. “So what is your suggestion? That we sit here and wait?” Taeyang demanded, his slightly shorter stature no less intimidating for the outrage pouring off his muscled figure.

“Not just wait,” Commander Eric shook his head with a sharp chopping motion of his hand. “We are of Bahamut’s Aerie, and though we may bide our time, we do not waste it with inactivity,” he promised firmly.

Satoru stepped forward then, drawing attention to his smaller form with practiced ease. “We are still in the process of finding allies to assist us.”

“No one will help us!” someone in the crowd shouted.

They were followed very quickly by another cry, “We are the ones that people ask for help!”

The Aerie Master waited for their dissent to die down, looking around the gathering with deceptively calm eyes. “It is true that we have many responsibilities as attendants of Bahamut’s Aerie. We shelter those who need it. Become the shield of the weak. The sword of the wronged. The judges of the corrupt! We are the eyes and the hands and the wings of Bahamut who watches over all, granting justice to those who deserve it!”

A dragon bugled in response to his words and Taekwoon couldn’t help but grin at recognizing Gain. Her clarion cry summoned answering calls and he was all too happy to join them. He felt Jonghyun’s roar resonating through their bond and, to a lesser extent, even Jongup’s. Though it was clear words alone were not satisfactory for some.

“So you will let us seek justice for our wingmates?!” Taeyang challenged, backed earnestly by Bom and Victoria and all their dragons.

“You? No,” High Commander Eric answered with a shake of his head.

“But-!” Bom started to say before he cut her off with another harsh hand motion.

“You are not but a partial wing that is hurting from your loss,” he stated firmly, meeting each gaze before touching the next. “Your hearts are in the right place, but your heads are not,” he explained sadly. His outright rejection was met with mantling wings of dragons and angry glares from humans. The Commander pulled himself to his full height as Andy stepped forward, flanked quickly by the silvers Hero and Minwoo.

When confronted with three gold and silver dragons, Jiyong, Minji, and Luna subsided quickly. Their riders followed suit, albeit a bit slower. “Then what do you expect us to do?” Victoria demanded icily as she stood beside Taeyang, drawing strength from his presence.

“We expect you to help the Aerie,” Satoru answered, hands stuffed in his robes and his expression firm. “In whatever capacity you are needed in.” They gave him sullen glares in response but didn’t fight him.

As Andy stepped back, Commander Eric took his place and raised his voice again. “As Satoru mentioned, we are still seeking possible allies near Fantor. We will be sending another wing there soon. We have sent riders to Talonsgrace to ask for help and information as well. We will be sending more riders north, but we _must_ be careful,” he emphasized. “Wing Leader Taeyang is right. They _are_ challenging us. But that means they are confident they can do so with impunity. We do not have the numbers we should. So we cannot fight as we normally would. But we will not abandon our brothers and sisters to whatever fate they face. I promise you,” he ended proudly, looking around the gathering as if to meet every eye there.

This time, there was no hesitation as nearly every voice rose in mutual agreement. “You are dismissed!” Satoru called into the descending quiet. He raised his voice to carry so everyone could continue to hear him, “If you still have questions or concerns, come see me in my office. I _will_ see you,” he promised just as firmly as the Commander.

“I guess the dragon’s out of the cave now,” Jinki sighed as he looked to Taekwoon with a pained expression.

“I’m guessing this is one of those things you couldn’t tell me before,” he responded, meeting coffee brown eyes steadily. Jinki nodded and Taekwoon followed suit. “What do you think they’ll do?” he asked, waiting for the answer patiently.

Jinki took a breath and shrugged. “Bahamut only knows at this point.”

“Fair enough,” Taekwoon exhaled, glancing around the gathering. He didn’t know what it meant for his wing just yet, but he knew things would change again. It was both exciting and nerve wracking in equal measure.


	23. A New Ally?

Through the rumor mill, every resident seemed to hear something or other about wings flying out and smaller pairs or threes heading to answer more summons or seek diplomatic aide elsewhere. The Aerie felt strangely quiet as a result. Oh, there were still quite a few dragons about, but when it was only half the number or so… it felt small.

Taekwoon’s wing was still doing small patrol runs in the immediate vicinity as they continued to grow into their synergy. Gain could be seen regularly working with the three new dragons and riders, though she did set strict times for when she was a Paramour first as well.

When Taekwoon had a chance to ask her why she was still maintaining her Paramour role, she answered. “When the world is going mad, you take and give what comfort you can. Else what are you fighting for?” Looking at Jinki, Taekwoon understood her point.

But between training, patrolling, and picking up the slack of everyone that wasn’t there, it was incredibly difficult to even think about diving into the books Taekwoon was still very interested in. And though they asked Jolin to help them, every time they came back to see what she’d found, it was as if she’d forgotten about them or gotten distracted by something else.

The more Taekwoon did look into it, the more certain he began to feel that something was not quite right about the books themselves or something he couldn’t identify yet. Even Jinki was prone to being distracted at times, leaving the dragonrider to do most of the searching, except for when he found something. Or thought he did.

But even then, the information appeared to be wrong. One tome was very much a history of sorts. Another was apparently about magic though that one was particularly challenging and he kept putting it off. And the third seemed to be a journal or diary? Maybe. It looked more coded than the others. Like it was meant for a specific reader. That aside, the tome he was focusing on, the history one, showed a very different past. He knew that Bahamut and Tiamat had battled, but this book said their fight ended in a draw. That the dragons were not gods and that they had merely fallen into a second slumber instead of returning to the heavens after they fought. So what and when was the first slumber?

What was more, the book suggested that Tiamat and Bahamut had created the dragons _and_ man together. Even if that was true, why would the telling of it be altered? And why also would Tiamat seek to harm the humans? Even more disturbing was that it might have been man himself that caused the Dragon Wars.

His discoveries begat more questions he couldn’t answer and he didn’t always have time to look for more information. What was worse, in the following moon, his wing was finally sent out to start patrolling, further limiting whatever time he had. For reading or for spending with Jinki… They were not sent to the north yet, or to the east, but there were plenty of other smaller summons to check in on: a possible rogue near Miremaw; wild dragons picking off sheep in a village near Marsh Rest; a small dispute between villagers near Kokoshir... There always seemed to be something happening.

Two patrol runs and nearly as many sevendays later, Taekwoon was quite happy that almost nothing major had happened. While the King might have said there were more active dragons in the surrounding villages, they had yet to see them. Maybe near the coasts more but in the expanse between Miremaw and Kokoshir, the dragons they did see were wild but benign. Not to mention that most of the villages they stopped in had few dragon related concerns. They were more troubled by weaker than usual crops and the odd illness here and there, but nothing too out of the ordinary.

Changing seasons were cause enough for sickness, though the failing crops were harder to explain. It was warm now and they hadn’t had as much rain this season. As a dragonrider, that made Taekwoon happy. As a farmer, he could imagine that being a bad thing. Especially since they would need the crops as they moved into the winter moons. The Aerie was always cold in the winter, being in the mountains and whatnot, but the southernmost parts of Kinshire also got pretty cold and harsh.

Once their second patrol was finished, their wing headed back to the Aerie for a brief respite. It gave them time to rest and recharge before they’d be sent out again. For Taekwoon, it allowed him time with Jinki. A couple days and nights together were a balm to his spirit, though he could always tell in the other man’s eyes what he wasn’t saying. Certainly no good news for the Aerie Master.

Rumors made their way around the Aerie like wildfire regardless. While they had sent a small group to infiltrate Bondsland and get a better idea of what they might be up against, word from them was scarce. Northern patrols kept catching sight of Dawnbringer wings and though there had been no casualties this time, there were minor skirmishes. “Satoru’s been trying to get High Priest Kevin to speak with the Tiamat High Priest. Maybe negotiate some kind of truce or something,” Jinki explained as they rested together in the shade of Taekwoon’s dragons.

“I’ll believe that when I see it,” Taekwoon grumbled, holding onto Jinki’s hand all the same.

“Me too, but I can only hope,” he sighed, reaching up to rub the backs of his fingers against Jongup’s smooth hide. The blue dragon purred quietly as Jonghyun looked on directly across from them, comfortably resting his head on his front claws.

“Have you made any progress with the books while I’ve been gone?” he wondered gently, curious still. There were many secrets left to uncover but Jinki was proving to be a little unreliable in this one area. Yep… there was the guilty head duck.

“No,” he admitted, voice quiet and apologetic.

“No time?” Taekwoon prompted gently, offering an out.

“Unless you ask, I just don’t… remember,” he admitted hesitantly, frustrated.

“That’s strange,” the dragonrider hummed, a frown on his face.

“You’re telling me.”

“It’s alright, my heart,” he promised, leaning over to press a kiss to the side of Jinki’s head. “I’m here for the next two days so we can try again tonight.” Jinki chirped in agreement and then turned his head up, asking for a better kiss. Taekwoon happily complied.

A couple more oddities became obvious when Taekwoon delved into the history tome once more. Far from being an angry, vengeful dragon, Tiamat was characterized as a watchful mother and source of change and innovation that was sometimes a bit more chaotic than preferred. Similarly, Bahamut was described as the somewhat cold father of justice and order. And the Dragon Priests were interesting too. They were the first riders, speaking with the dragons to gain insight into Bahamut and Tiamat’s thoughts. As civilization grew, they became more of the Priests they looked like today. And unless Taekwoon was greatly mistaken, it looked like some of the first dragons had been corrupted somehow.

But that was about as much as he could stomach to learn before his head revolted and he had to retreat for a break. A tiny part of him was beginning to entertain the idea that maybe… just maybe there was some kind of magic afoot. The one book was certainly about magic but it had so many strange words that it was immediately daunting. Maybe he should ask Jolin about it? Or possibly Satoru? The Aerie Master always seemed to have some insight into obscure or unusual things.

However, since the Aerie Master was quite busy of late, it would have to wait until the next time Taekwoon returned. His wing was scheduled for one more lengthy patrol before they returned for the winter moons. Flying in the cold was difficult and dangerous and even Tiamat’s Aerie would likely follow that pattern, earning them all a respite. Despite Jinki’s misgivings, and to be honest Taekwoon’s as well, they would be flying towards the east, taking their turn at drawing out the mysterious ‘other’ riders. The previous two wings had no luck, but considering Taekwoon had a feeling the High Priest’s comments in Satoru’s office previously had to have some kind of meaning, he didn’t want to go.

“Just be careful,” Jinki murmured, gripping Taekwoon’s hands hard as they made their farewells in the open air of the Aerie.

“I will,” he promised in return, stealing a quick, reassuring kiss in the process. “It’s just for two sevendays. I’ll be back before you know it,” he added with a forced smile. This longer patrol was due to the changing weather. They wouldn’t be sending any others out after this unless absolutely necessary.

“I assure you, I will be counting down the days,” the slightly shorter man countered with a half-smile.

“As will I.”

“Alright you. Get out of here,” Jinki urged, pressing for one last kiss before pushing the rider away and stepping back, firming his shoulders.

“Yes, sir,” Taekwoon bowed, though his eyes were tender when he looked at his other half once more. It was easier to go if they separated quickly. Lingering too long was torture and often earned him a fair bit of ribbing from his wingmates.

This time was no exception, but they were easier on him than usual. Their first day in, they set an easy flight in the direction of Fantor. They’d need to clear the mountains their Aerie was settled in and then they’d have plains and after that, forests to contend with. If they were going to run into trouble, they knew it would be in that vicinity. Three days of winding patrols later found them clearing the plains and moving into the Fantor Forests. The city itself was nestled on the edge of the great woods, closer to the coast on the southern side, but in the northern part of the woods near the ocean, there were smaller rising mountains that offered some protection from the northerly winds.

Like their previous patrols, they didn’t really run into trouble, which made Taekwoon feel more on edge, strangely enough. Especially with what they’d heard about the other wings. Even those who hadn’t gone north had run into some kind of skirmishes with wild dragons or rogues. They did see more dragons in the distance, but they seemed to belong to the city itself if their general location and clustering was any indication.

Near the end of the day, Insoo motioned for them to land in a relative clearing they’d spotted from the air. “We’ll call it for today,” he asserted as they took care to settle in the limited space. It was large enough for the dragons but the trees gave them some difficulty in folding their wings as each landed.

“Who’s on forage duty?” Wooyoung asked as he slid off Junho, giving the red a reassuring pat on the shoulder as he did so.

“You and Jinyoung today,” Insoo called out, taking the harness off Gunwoo so the dragon could stretch and get comfortable for the evening. “You’ll have last watch as a result,” he added when both groaned quietly.

“Well that’s some consolation,” Jinyoung shrugged, rubbing JB’s face in a familiar gesture. The copper twitched his tail though and sighed heavily. Apparently he didn’t much fancy forage duty either.

“I’ve got first watch with Taeyeon,” Insoo added, looking over to nod at the rider who gestured her understanding before focusing on Seohyun again. “Taekwoon and Jungkook will have second watch.”

“Why are you punishing me, Soo?” Jungkook groaned as he leaned against V. The blue dragon huffed as if to laugh while Insoo grinned.

Taekwoon would have been offended except he generally agreed. It wasn’t the company that was punishment, but the time. “At least it’ll be quiet,” he shrugged, removing Jongup’s harness as he did so.

“There is that,” the other rider shrugged before kneeling to dig in his pack. They all had small rations to nibble on, basic supplies, and a sleeping roll for nights like this.

With the ease of practice, they settled in for the evening. Wooyoung and Jinyoung managed to find them some edible nuts and berries and Junho even hunted down a small bear for them. Well, for them and the dragons, though they wouldn’t need to feed for the next day or so. One good meal would last them three or four days, unless they were training or flying hard. So far, they’d been going pretty easy with their speed.

Insoo and Taeyeon prepared the bear meat and passed around the lightly seasoned cooked food before giving the dragons the leftovers. While they stayed up with the foragers, Taekwoon and Jungkook napped for a bit, curled close to their dragons as they waited for their turns. When Taeyeon and Insoo woke them for their shift, Wooyoung and Jinyoung had already gone to sleep and the forest was just as quiet as Taekwoon expected.

The first few moments were well and truly silent between him and Jungkook as they woke and settled in for a relatively long watch. Taekwoon perched atop Jonghyun who was always amused by his place of choice. Jungkook stayed on the ground and watched over the fire, making sure it didn’t go out but that it was still small so as to not draw undue attention their way.

After a little while, Jungkook finally called out softly, “Do you think we’ll actually find anything out here?”

“I don’t know,” Taekwoon murmured back, keeping an eye on the forest as he got accustomed to the sounds. Insects chirping mostly and the odd evening bird, but nothing larger that he could tell. And Jonghyun hadn’t noticing anything either, so he wasn’t worried.

“I kind of hope we do. It would be nice to do something, you know,” he shrugged, tossing a small twig on the fire.

“It’s foolish to ask for trouble,” Taekwoon chuckled with a bemused look.

“I know, but we’ve done all that training and we don’t have much to show for it yet,” the other rider murmured. It was easy to forget that he was only barely older than Taekwoon. He’d become a rider a bit sooner, but it had taken him longer to recover from his first Trial, missing out on the sevenday limit. It hadn’t stopped him from continuing though and earning his right to be a rider.

“That’s not a bad thing. And if things continue in the direction they seem to be heading, we might all get more action than we want,” he added uncertainly, catching the inside of his lip between his teeth.

“Fair enough,” Jungkook agreed heavily. At least they felt similarly about that topic. They fell silent for a bit before the other rider offered a new question. “Taekwoon?”

“Yeah?”

“What’s it like having two dragons?” he wondered, snorting and tossing a stick at V a breath later. “Don’t be jealous you. I’m just curious.”

Taekwoon laughed softly and rested his hand against Jonghyun’s warm hide. It was a question he got every now and then. Jinyoung had been quite quick to ask when they’d been paired one of those first nights. “Not unlike having one. I just have a weaker bond, I guess you could say, with Jongup. We can still feel and communicate like I do with Jonghyun, but the connection’s not as strong. I suppose the biggest difference is just combat,” he laughed. “Dragon jumping and all,” he added with a shake of his head.

“If I didn’t know you, I’d say you were crazy,” he snorted, shrugging in easy acceptance of what he’d seen the other rider do thus far.” You make that weird harness work but it sure does look funny,” Jungkook grinned, the expression almost childlike.

“I told Minsoo it looked like a net the first time I saw it,” Taekwoon admitted with a chuckle.

“I can imagine. How strong is it?” he asked after a brief pause.

“Quite. This one hasn’t managed to break it yet, despite trying very hard a time or two,” he laughed in earnest this time, feeling Jonghyun’s snort beneath him. Jungkook laughed softly at the response and then returned to contented silence.

It worked fine for Taekwoon as well. He didn’t need to speak but for some, they had to fill empty space with noise. Jungkook was one such person sometimes. But the silence remained right up until Taekwoon felt a chill. Glancing around, he had the strangest feeling someone was watching him. Or them to be accurate. Then he felt Jonghyun sniff and the copper head rose up slowly, breathing deeper as he looked around the space with narrowed eyes. _What?_ he asked mutely, one hand moving to gesture for Jungkook to remain quiet.

_Something. Human,_ he responded just as silently, shoulders rolling as he contemplated standing. His head tilted to the side though and he smelled again. _Rider?_

_Where?_ he queried, searching the space as well. The sounds of the forest were as still as they had been so whoever or whatever it was, they weren’t making a lot of noise or making themselves very known.

_Difficult,_ came the answer as the copper head continued to swivel. Nearby, Taekwoon could see V doing the same thing, nostrils flaring as he tried to find a direction. Likewise for Jongup as well.

_Here?_ came Jongup’s hesitant call, turning his head to look back at Taekwoon.

When Taekwoon carefully slid off Jonghyun, trying to make as little noise as possible, Jongup looked back in the direction he thought and pointed with his nose. Drawing abreast, he peered into the forest and searched for himself. Nothing moved that he could see, but he trusted his dragons. Moving back to his pack, he retrieved his long sword and returned, placing a hand on Jongup’s head. _Wait._

_Careful,_ Jonghyun urged, blowing out his nose once.

Taekwoon looked back and nodded at his dragon before looking around to find Jungkook. Mutely, he pointed in the direction he was heading and saw the affirmative nod in response. Taking care with his footing and keeping his hand on the sword hilt, ready to draw at a moment’s notice, Taekwoon crept into the forest. His eyesight was pitiful in the dark but lacking that, his hearing wasn’t half bad. The insects still chirped nearby, dimming in his immediate vicinity but continuing further out.

Several paces in, nothing had changed and he still didn’t see or hear anything to cause him to worry. _Nothing,_ he called out to Jonghyun and Jongup.

_Smell something_ , came the quick response.

_Can’t see. Can’t smell. Feel something, but nothing_ , he relayed, feeling equal frustration from his dragons. And he did feel something. Like there was someone there, watching him, but they didn’t feel dangerous. For now, that was going to have to be good enough. Moving back to camp with just as much care, Taekwoon moved close enough to Jungkook to relay what he’d sensed. “Couldn’t see or find anything but it feels like someone’s there,” he whispered.

“V thinks so too,” Jungkook nodded with a glance at his dragon.

“We might just be jumping at shadows but keep your weapon close,” Taekwoon encouraged with a glance at V and then his own dragons.

“I know,” the other rider agreed, reaching for his long sword too.

Needless to say, they didn’t speak much for the rest of their watch. When it came time to switch, they woke Wooyoung and Jinyoung as expected and relayed what they thought they’d felt, but seeing as there was nothing definite to call an alarm about, they hadn’t. Still, even when they were given leave to sleep, it was very difficult for Taekwoon. And when he finally did manage to fall asleep, it felt like morning showed up as soon as he closed his eyes.

They were all tense the next morning. Wooyoung and Jinyoung hadn’t seen anything either, but their dragons did admit to smelling something early on. It went away later but no one knew who or what it was. Their unease only got stronger when they made a brief patrol into the woods and Insoo found a footprint.

“Might be mine,” Taekwoon called as they converged. But even as he said it, the location felt wrong.

“No. This is smaller than your foot,” he murmured, kneeling next to a partial print in the soft dirt.

“A woman?” Taeyeon offered, moving close to compare her own. They were of a similar size.

“Interesting,” Wooyoung hummed, stroking his chin as they all looked down.

“I don’t know whether I’m more alarmed or impressed,” Insoo admitted, glancing back towards the camp to see just how much cover there would be.

Taekwoon felt the same way, though it was definitely a mixture of both. From Insoo’s vantage, it was clear that if the person stayed low, they would have been very easy to miss. There were enough shrubs and debris around the trees to provide adequate cover.

“We’ll break camp shortly and keep an eye from the sky,” Insoo explained, fingers tracing the footprint carefully.

“Sounds good to me,” Jinyoung exhaled as he ran a hand over his short dark brown hair.

It didn’t take them long to grab a quick bite and then pack up. Everyone kept glancing around nervously, wary about how close someone had been without them realizing it for sure. They didn’t really relax in the air either. While there had been no dragon prints, if one of their dragons had thought she or whoever the person was might be a rider, that meant there was a good chance one could be nearby too.

They hadn’t been flying for very long when they all noticed what seemed to be a thin stream of smoke coming from the forest. Insoo pointed and they all nodded in understanding, banking gently to ease in that direction. The clearing wasn’t very large this time and from their vantage, the camp looked like it only had one woman. She was watching them, one hand raised to shield the sun from her eyes. Honey colored hair spilled around her shoulders and partially covered the riding leathers she wore.

It was her. Taekwoon didn’t know why he felt so sure about it, but he was positive that she was the person that had been watching them last night. As they got closer, he felt a sense of general agreement from Jonghyun too. _Smell._ The question was, what did she want and why was she showing herself now?

As a wing, they circled closer, debating the landing space. Really, it was only large enough for one large dragon or maybe two smaller ones to land in. Given that, Insoo signaled for them to wait while he urged Gunwoo down so that he could meet with the stranger.

Nervously, the rest of the wing maintained their position, circling above like vultures. Taekwoon watched them speaking, Insoo on his dragon and she on the ground. She gestured towards the low mountains to the north and Insoo shook his head. The woman tried again but when she was met with the same response, she shrugged. A hand rose to her mouth and they all heard a sharp whistle emerge. It made the hairs on Taekwoon’s neck stand on end, especially when multiple roars emerged from the forest. Several dragons followed suit.

They broke through the canopy of leaves and flapped upward, quickly surrounding their wing. Taekwoon tensed up immediately, glancing down at Insoo to see how their wing leader was doing. But he was stunned when a large gold dragon flew into the space above him, keeping him grounded easily. Worse, they were outnumbered in the air. It looked like close to two wings worth of dragonriders. With a mental curse, he couldn’t help but glance at Jungkook who may well have brought such ill luck down upon them with his combat hungry thoughts. Oh, he knew that was not the case, but his thoughts were hardly charitable given their predicament.

For all their fanfare though, the new dragons did not attack. They simply maintained their position circling around the now hovering dragons in their midst. Taekwoon catalogued them quickly. One gold, one silver, two bronzes, one copper, three reds, two blues, and one black and white each. Not quite two wings but they were still outnumbered and possibly outmatched. He was ready to fight if he had to; Jonghyun and Jongup felt the same way, but he wasn’t sure about their odds.

Before he had much chance to worry though, the gold dragon let out another roar and the other riders fell back, drifting towards the mountains nearby. Puzzled, Taekwoon watched them go and then looked down to see the gold was moving out of the way so that Insoo, with the woman as a passenger now, could fly out on Gunwoo. In the air, the gold followed closely as their wing leader drew abreast with the strange woman in front of him.

“She says she wants to talk,” he explained, voice raised to reach his wing mates.

“Why?” Jinyoung asked warily, eyeing her with suspicion aplenty.

“She won’t say, but I have a feeling she might be among the… unusual riders we’ve been hearing about,” he added, glancing at the back of her head with narrowed eyes.

“My companions won’t harm you,” the woman spoke calmly, her hand gesturing back towards the mountains. “We’ve merely heard you might have been looking for us and we want to know what sort of riders you are before deciding anything,” she explained with a shrug.

“I don’t like it, Soo,” Wooyoung called, standoffish now. Taekwoon didn’t either. There was something about _her_ that unsettled him. He didn’t like their meeting circumstances either, but his qualm was more with her as a person at the moment.

Insoo was mutely pensive for a few breaths before he eventually shook his head. “It’s not ideal but given our situation, it might be a good idea to hear them out.” He didn’t miss the collective wince around him and he nodded in understanding. Then he leaned close to say something to the woman, his expression hard. She held her hands up in surrender and nodded in understanding. It was a pretty good bet he’d threatened her.

With plenty of misgivings, Taekwoon followed along with the rest as they headed towards the mountains. He was torn between watching her, watching for her companions, and watching the mountain itself. As they got closer, it started to take on a different shape and to his eyes, it vaguely resembled some kind of old and worn out stronghold. If he didn’t know better, he thought it could possibly have been an aerie…

The other nine dragons and riders were already settled and waiting when Insoo’s wing made to land. The gold dragon continued to circle warily, her gaze trained on the woman. Warily, the riders clambered off their dragons and Insoo let the stranger down but kept her close as a precaution. Only when they were all on the ground did the gold dragon land, purposefully placing herself behind the woman, glaring at the newcomers angrily.

“Shh,” the woman soothed, gesturing back towards the gold, apparently her dragon.

Insoo glanced between them and placed his hand meaningfully on his short sword. “You wanted to talk. Here we are.”

“So you are,” she agreed with a nod. “Thank you for agreeing to speak with me. In answer to your query earlier, yes. We are riders beholden to neither Bahamut nor Tiamat. We’d prefer to keep it that way, but we are curious about your story,” she explained, glancing at their wing and landing on Taekwoon with his two dragons for a longer moment. He didn’t like that look, but she didn’t seem to notice. “My name is Chaerin Lee. This is my dragon Fei. And you are?” she asked, looking at the riders expectantly.


	24. Breaking the Ice

As expected, Insoo took the lead with introductions and questions. He only gave his name and dragon first, before needing more information. “What are you doing out here?”

“Helping Fantor keep control of their wild dragon population,” she answered easily enough. “At least before we found this place,” she added, gesturing towards the formation behind them. From the ground, it reminded Taekwoon even more of an aerie and he shivered.

“How did you know we might be looking for you?” Insoo asked, glancing around the other riders warily.

“Word gets around,” she smiled with a flippant wave of her hand. Maybe but not usually that kind of word.

“Why didn’t you try to get in contact with any of the other wings that came through this area?” he continued.

Chaerin shrugged and looked at her companions. “We only saw two and neither of them camped nearby. When we saw a third wing – all from Bahamut’s Aerie,” she gestured at them collectively, “we figured it might be a good idea to see what you wanted.”

Insoo mulled over that answer. It was reasonable enough, if not entirely to his liking. “Any reason you didn’t show yourself last night?”

“It was night and we didn’t know if we could trust you yet,” she admitted with a coy smile. “I am surprised you managed to notice I was there at all, though. Usually, I’m better than that.”

“Okay. But why the setup? Why not just introduce yourself normally during the day?”

“Would you have trusted me if I had?” she asked simply, chuckling low under her breath.

“No, but I’m hardly inclined to trust you now,” he retorted, glancing around at the larger number of dragons and riders around them.

“Oh come now,” she almost frowned. “I volunteered to become your prisoner since I knew it might make you feel more comfortable when you were outnumbered.”

“Interesting logic,” he muttered back.

“You’re still here. I’m still unharmed. And we’re talking,” she smiled, shifting her hands to rest on her riding belt. “So. Considering I’m the leader of this rather unique group, what might Bahamut’s Aerie have to offer us to make it worthwhile to help you?”

It was not a question Insoo was expecting by the way his lips thinned and his brow furrowed. “I am not one to make such offers. If you are who you say you are and you are truly interested, for compensation, I would ask that you come with us to Bahamut’s Aerie instead.”

Chaerin shook her head and took a half-step back. “That would be folly. I could not ask my friends to follow so blindly into what could very easily be a trap for those such as us.”

On one hand, the answer made sense. It would certainly be easier to capture a group such as theirs at a stronghold. But on the other hand, if they had wanted to attack or capture them, chances were good they would have been trying a different approach here. Her response felt too much like an excuse to him, but it did make him look around at the other riders present. The dragons he had no ability to read beyond their body language. They were all fairly relaxed and confident. If it came to a fight, there was a reasonable chance they’d win and they knew it. Only Fei was still agitated and that was largely because her rider was still in possible danger. As a result, he wasn’t really worried about the dragons. His larger concern was with the riders as a whole. Chaerin alone really unsettled him, but as he looked at the others, there was something subtle about them too. Once more, he didn’t know what it was, but his gut was telling him something didn’t add up.

“Like this could be folly for us?” Insoo prompted, glancing around the circle.

“Only if you want it to be,” she shrugged. “You are free to go from here. We won’t keep you. But if you wish for our assistance, I feel it would behoove us to get to know each a little more first.”

“Now that _could_ be folly for us,” Insoo hedged. “How do we know you are not of Tiamat’s Aerie? It is not so difficult to choose not to wear obvious signs after all.”

“Hence why I suggested we get to know each other better. I never said you had to give sensitive information,” she assured him with an easy smile. “Either way. You’re free to decide. We are going to continue exploring what was probably once an aerie,” she added, deftly turning away as if daring him to attack her.

For one brief moment, Taekwoon almost wished Insoo would. He had no good reason for it though, and he was just glad when it passed. Shaking his head quickly, he watched their wing leader stay his hand and take a deep breath. He looked around at the other dragons and riders who were drifting apart as they wandered further into the complex, and then turned to his wing mates. They could all see he was conflicted. “I may be your wing leader but this affects all of us. Thoughts?” he asked, meeting their gazes individually.

Wooyoung was the first to speak, albeit hesitantly. “If they were going to do something, they’ve had plenty of time to do it. At this point, we might as well look into it.”

His statement got thoughtful responses all around. “I don’t trust them, but… if they are able to help us, it would make up for the wing we lost,” Taeyeon sighed, biting her bottom lip.

“We could also try to get more information from them,” Jinyoung shrugged. “How many there are. How they bonded without Bahamut’s or Tiamat’s Blood. What they actually want to do now.”

Insoo nodded at their thoughts and then glanced at the two who hadn’t spoken yet. “Jungkook? Taekwoon?”

“I don’t know,” Jungkook shook his head and shrugged. “If they’re not going to hurt us, it can’t hurt to at least talk to them.”

When Insoo glanced at him, Taekwoon just nodded, “What he said.” He couldn’t just say he didn’t like her because she unsettled him. Especially when none of them seemed to have a similar feeling. He suspected it was because of his dragon half but unless he had more to go on…

“Okay. I guess we’ll stay and… talk,” Insoo hummed. “Pair up though. Don’t go anywhere alone. That goes for you guys too,” he added, looking at the dragons. “And if anything does happen, don’t try to be a hero,” he snorted with a wry smile, though his tone was completely serious.

Not entirely surprisingly, they ended up pairing off like they had the evening before. It was just easier that way. While the humans headed further into the structure, the dragons remained behind to nose about with the other dragons. Taekwoon kept in constant contact with Jonghyun and he suspected the others were doing the same too.

_Wary. Curious. Wonder about Aerie. Tell them?_

 _General information._ Taekwoon hid a smile as his dragons immediately had more success than he and Jungkook. Granted, it didn’t help they had further to go. Entirely against his better judgement, Taekwoon set a path that would lead them more or less to Chaerin. It wasn’t his intention to stalk her exactly, but he felt better when he could see where she was. When he could confirm that she wasn’t up to something.

“You okay?” Jungkook asked as they made their way at a distance.

Surprised by the question, Taekwoon glanced at the slightly taller man. “Sure. Why?”

“You keep looking at her,” he answered with a subtle nod towards Chaerin.

“I don’t trust her,” he admitted easily, glancing at the woman again.

“I don’t either but you’re like _really_ looking at her,” Jungkook explained with slightly narrowed eyes.

Taekwoon grimaced and forced himself to take a breath and relax. “Sorry. I don’t like that she was able to get so close without us knowing. Even less that I couldn’t find her last night. At all.”

“Ah,” Jungkook nodded in understanding. He could get that. After all, he’d experienced it too. His expression turned suddenly thoughtful when it was obvious he was listening to his dragon. “V says they’ve been a group for a little over a year now. Huh.”

“Same people?” Taekwoon wondered with a sidelong glance at Chaerin. She seemed to be a bit closer than last time.

“Some come and go, but this seems to be a pretty regular number for them,” he explained.

“Interesting,” Taekwoon murmured, scanning the structure briefly. Whatever buildings might have been here had long since collapsed but along the back wall, he could easily see caves that might well have been able to house creatures as large as dragons. Didn’t look like there were any remains of a tower though. “We should go check the back out,” he gestured, frowning when he was almost positive Chaerin was closer this time.

“Okay.”

Walking together, Taekwoon’s back prickled like he was being watched. He had to fight the urge to turn around, but he was pretty sure if he did, she would be looking. _Caves. Maybe an old well. Building remains. Maybe aerie,_ he sent to Jonghyun.

_Mate find old animal pen. Bones. Many,_ he responded, voice proud.

“Strange,” Jungkook frowned, his thoughts inward. “V says all the dragons here have been raised from the egg.”

“Eh?” Taekwoon chirped, looking at his companion in confusion.

“Indeed.” He flinched when Chaerin’s voice appeared nearby. “My apologies for listening in,” she bowed a few paces away. “I was merely curious.”

Both Taekwoon and Jungkook glared at her slightly. Her ability to sneak up on them notwithstanding, they had no excuse not to speak to her now. “How did you get a dragon egg?” Taekwoon asked darkly. Everyone knew it was next to impossible unless you killed the mother. Even then, raising a wild was said to be incredibly difficult.

“It was a gift from my father,” she answered without hesitation.

“Okay, but how did you raise her? The babies are wild and without Bahamut’s Blood to give them intelligence in the binding…” Jungkook trailed off.

“They’re not unlike pets in the beginning,” she confirmed with a nod, “but in time, they can be taught. They are very smart creatures,” she promised, her voice genuinely earnest. “And very loyal.”

“What about Trance and speaking with your dragon?” Taekwoon asked with narrowed eyes.

Chaerin’s smile was disarming. “Any human can enter Trance with a dragon if both will it. It just took me quite some time to earn that trust with Fei,” she shrugged, blinking at the memory. “As for the connection I’ve heard most riders share… we don’t really have it. At least not with words. I can feel what she feels and vice versa, but I have to be listening for it. What about you? I believe you were talking with your dragon just now?” she gestured towards Jungkook.

“Yeah,” he answered hesitantly, glancing at Taekwoon. “We were speaking. Not complex sentences but enough to get the point across,” he explained. Taekwoon knew that was because shorter bursts of information were better for dragons. Like when they spoke in their natural form, many ‘words’ were left out in lieu of the actual important information.

“You too?” she asked, gesturing at Taekwoon.

“Yes,” he answered, guarded. His response seemed to amuse her while Jungkook was mildly embarrassed. It was rude, he knew, but he did not owe her politeness yet.

“Gentlemen,” she smiled, her eyes crinkling in a way that was strangely familiar to Taekwoon. “You have me at a disadvantage. You know my name but I have yet to learn yours.”

Jungkook looked at Taekwoon with a shrug. When Taekwoon shook his head just a bit, the other rider raised a brow and snorted softly before he looked at Chaerin again. “I’m Jungkook and this is Taekwoon,” he introduced, earning a sidelong look from Taekwoon and a smile from Chaerin.

“Nice to meet you,” she bowed slightly, glancing between them. “If I remember right, you both have blues, yes?” she prompted, pointing them between them.

Again, Jungkook was the first to answer. “Yes. I have V and he has Jongup, though one of the coppers is his too.” Taekwoon wanted to step on the other man’s foot.

“Oh?” Chaerin hummed in thoughtful surprise. “I was wondering. How is it that you ended up with two dragons, Taekwoon?”

He hid his frown and looked at Chaerin. In calling his name, she was directly asking him and while he didn’t mind being acceptably rude, blatantly ignoring her now wasn’t really an acceptable option. “It just happened. I was trying to bind one then the other showed up and I had no choice,” he explained, purposefully being vague. Oh, there was a lot more to it, but he wasn’t about to go into it with her. _She’s prying. You?_ he sent curiously to his dragon.

He got an immediate response, as if the other was keyed into their conversation. _Wing mates being friendly. New riders smell… strange._

 _Why?_ Taekwoon had to school his features not to react and focus far harder than normal to appear as if he was paying complete attention to Chaerin instead.

_Unsure._

“Fascinating,” she murmured during his exchange, taking a step closer with obvious interest in her eyes.

Taekwoon wasn’t exactly positive about the kind of interest it was and he didn’t want to know. Forcing his attention to the remains around them, he stepped around Jungkook to put space between him and Chaerin and pointed at the structures nearby. “What made you stop and check this place out?”

Undeterred, she drew close to Jungkook with a reassuring smile. “We were originally seeking shelter from a storm,” she explained, leaning around the taller man to peer at Taekwoon. “But when it cleared, we saw these were not just normal caves.”

“Right. Those would be the sleeping caves and that could have been the Training Hall,” Jungkook gestured, his voice a little higher than usual as he explained.

“Agreed,” Chaerin nodded with a warm smile. “And we think those stones over there might have been the dorm but there’s also another structure inside the mountains, like an open cave that we aren’t sure about,” she pointed, drawing both their gazes towards the low peaks ahead.

“Oh. Maybe we can check it out a bit later,” Jungkook offered, glancing between Chaerin and Taekwoon eagerly. By the looks of it, Taekwoon had the feeling he was slightly enamored with the young woman. There was no denying she was attractive – for a woman – and she certainly had charm, but none of that helped Taekwoon get over the fact that she made him uncomfortable.

“Maybe. Perhaps you and your aerie dragons might have a better idea about what it could mean,” she suggested, once more looking between the two with open interest.

“Sure,” Jungkook offered, blinking when he realized he answered fairly quickly. “I mean after we check back in with Insoo,” he covered, glancing at Taekwoon with the hint of embarrassment, though the slight flush in his cheeks could have meant something more.

“Your wing leader,” Chaerin nodded in clarification. “How does that work? You only have six dragons but wouldn’t a larger number be better?” she wondered, clearly comparing their current forces.

Before Jungkook could put his foot in his mouth again, Taekwoon answered, “Like any combat force. We look to our wing leader for guidance and when joined in a larger squad, we act as one as needed under the squad leader.”

“Huh. It all sounds so severe,” she shrugged, stepping around in front of them. “I mean, I’m technically the leader of our group, but I’m not a combat strategist.”

_Dragons trained for formation fighting?_ he sent to Jonghyun quickly before asking Chaerin directly. “So can you fight then?”

“Some,” she shrugged, letting her hand drop to the daggers at her waist.

_A little,_ came the less than reassuring response.

“And your dragons?” he asked, seeking confirmation.

She shrugged and gestured to the remains again. “Dragons are natural combatants in the air. And we’ve a large enough force here not to have to worry about strict formations,” she added, wandering a bit closer. “That’s not to say we couldn’t be trained appropriately. If it’s agreed that we should join forces, I mean,” she backpedaled quickly with a flippant wave of her hand.

Taekwoon wasn’t that eager to take the bait, but Jungkook was far less wary. “From what I’ve heard, it sounds like you – your group, wouldn’t be a bad addition to the Aerie,” he murmured a little too eagerly. A thought did occur to him though and he frowned. “Can you control your dragons?”

At least Chaerin was surprised by the question as well. Something about her response made Taekwoon take notice and he frowned slightly at the hint of tension that ran through her. Fear maybe? It was gone almost before he could really say he saw something and she forced a laugh with a dismissive wave. “Of course not. Why would we need to?”

Jungkook shrugged, having completely missed the brief shift. “In case you need to keep your dragon from doing something they shouldn’t be doing.”

“Like what?” Chaerin asked, honestly curious.

Jungkook seemed at a loss for an immediate answer, but Taekwoon had a dry response to offer. “To keep one from killing a trainee in a Trial.”

Jungkook nodded at the response but Chaerin merely frowned in thought. “With our dragons, we face no such trials,” she explained, motioning back towards where all the dragons and riders were. “We have earned their trust and respect from the egg. I would hope that after eight years, Fei would trust me enough and me her, for just about anything.”

“Eight years?” Jungkook murmured in surprise, echoing the thought Taekwoon had. “I’ve only been with V for just over two now.”

“And you?” she wondered in Taekwoon’s direction.

He frowned but answered, “Only a few moons now.”

“Strange,” Chaerin hummed. “You seem so close for such new bonds.”

“It’s the Symbiosis,” Jungkook explained knowingly, making Taekwoon want to bite his tongue as if it would stop the other man.

“I’ve heard about that,” she responded with interest as she stepped closer to Jungkook. “But most people don’t know and there aren’t many that will explain it to an outsider,” she added almost wistfully.

“Because you’re an outsider,” Taekwoon answered deftly, remaining where he was. “The Trials are the business of the Aerie and the dragon and riders undergoing them.”

“But she doesn’t have to be,” Jungkook reasoned with a shrug and a smile at Chaerin. “If they help us, we should be able to explain, right?” Chaerin’s smile was bright at his response.

“If they help us, maybe,” Taekwoon confirmed reluctantly, his expression still wary as he met Chaerin’s gaze. He could see that she was getting at least a little frustrated with him. Good. Her charms might work on Jungkook, but he wasn’t so ready to just welcome them into the fold. “Which reminds me. We should probably check back in with the rest of our wing to see how their progress is going.”

“Yeah,” Jungkook nodded with a look at Taekwoon. “Good idea.”

“Indeed,” Chaerin hummed thoughtfully. “We should probably start thinking about the afternoon meal anyhow,” she added with a gesture towards the sky where the sun was steadily making its way above them.

Taekwoon nodded in agreement and motioned for Jungkook to follow him as they retreated to the beginning of the structure. Chaerin followed closely along and again, Taekwoon had to resist the urge to look over his shoulder to watch her. He didn’t like her where he couldn’t see her. It mattered little when they regrouped with the rest of the wing and the other riders in the vicinity.

Not surprisingly, they separated into their individual groups first, convening with each other about what they’d learned no doubt. They all confirmed essentially the same thing. All the riders had raised their dragons from the egg and most eggs had been gifts from a rich or powerful family member, though none were eager to name them.

“Sounds like most of the people here might be half-caste,” Insoo murmured thoughtfully. “The egg’s a bribe to remain silent about their parentage.”

“That’s a bit too convenient wouldn’t you think?” Wooyoung offered warily.

“Maybe, but it would sort of match the idea of Nobles creating the false bonds for the most recent dragonrider pairs that are not of Tiamat or Bahamut,” Jinyoung suggested. “And it would explain how they’re bonded without using the Blood.”

“They’re not combat oriented though,” Taekwoon reminded them softly. “The dragons can fight as dragons do but they have little to no actual training.”

Insoo frowned but nodded. “I had suspected as much, but that’s not to say they can’t be taught. And really, they do at least have a working relationship, unlike rogues or wild dragons.”

“And none of them seem to have any connection to Tiamat’s Aerie either,” Taeyeon added with a shrug. “Or aerie life for that matter. It really is like they’ve been raised outside of one their whole lives.”

“So are we gonna ask them to help?” Jungkook asked, looking over at the other riders, not unlike several of his wing mates were doing too.

“We’ll see,” Insoo commented, eyes narrowing when Chaerin started heading their way.

She held her hands up as she approached and spoke first, “We were going to start a fire for the afternoon meal. There’s a nice valley on the other side of the mountains with good hunting for the dragons too, if they’re hungry.”

Insoo glanced at his wing mates and then the dragons. They did need to feed in earnest soon. If they were all going to be in the same location and there was good hunting, it might be a good time indeed. “Are you offering to share your meal?” he wondered aloud.

“We are,” she agreed with a gesture back towards the larger group. “We are interested in your predicament and would like to hear a little bit more over food, if you wouldn’t mind,” she suggested, giving a small, polite bow in the process.

“Very well. What can we do to help?” Insoo asked as he stood up, taking responsibility for their stay.

As a group, they broke up to help with the hunting for the humans first and once they’d gathered enough food for their fire, they allowed their dragons to follow after the new ones over the mountain. By the time they were able to start eating their prepared food, the dragons were already returning, happy and sated and content to nap in the sun around them. Content to let Insoo – or whoever in their group wanted to – do most of the talking, Taekwoon accepted his food and retreated to Jonghyun’s side where he could watch and listen warily without being disturbed. Next to his dragon, he felt more settled, but underlying that, there was still a sensation of being off kilter and it bothered him.

Looking around at the new riders, they didn’t seem bad. They were not that different from his own wing mates, laughing and joking together as they exchanged stories and gave up little tidbits of information. Most were men but there were a couple of women and they all seemed content enough in their current situation. Every now and then, one would look his way curiously and sometimes ask someone nearby about it. He wasn’t so far away that he couldn’t hear the answers, even if it was hard to make out in its entirety.

While the new riders were indeed mostly half-caste, the aerie riders were all orphans, given up, or promised away at a young age. Most were unpaired which brought them to the topic of Paramours. They were fascinated by the idea and wondered if they were similar to how the brothels worked in the cities. Yes and no. Paramours could choose who they paired with and no money was exchanged. Of course that prompted a round of asking who had been and the majority volunteered information. One of those questions was directed towards Taekwoon but a wing mate answered for him, explaining his partner.

At that admission, eyes turned to him again but he was more interested in the weight of Chaerin’s gaze. Glancing at her in his periphery, he could see she might have been troubled. Why, he didn’t know, but her body language said she was more closed off than before. She was uncomfortable about something. Well good. At least now they were on the same page.

He was just glad when they were finished eating and would have liked to have been on their way, but Chaerin suggested they stay and help them try to excavate the remains. “We’ve made some headway but aren’t you at least a little bit curious?” she asked. “An aerie from the old days. Before there was only Bahamut and Tiamat’s Aeries,” she went on, her face coming alive with real excitement.

Even Taekwoon couldn’t deny he was curious. Especially if her statement was true. Records didn’t say much about the Aeries of old other than that they were generally aligned with one dragon or the other. The remains here called to him with what their secrets might be. The fact one still remained, even in ruins, was almost unbelievable. And if there was anything left in the library – if they could find it, might have a treasure trove of information. Especially because of what he had been able to learn from the new tomes in their own library.

“Help us for the rest of your patrol duration, and if we don’t find anything, perhaps we can fly with you to your Aerie,” she suggested vaguely.

Taekwoon was so intrigued by the idea that he almost missed the fact that it seemed as if her companions weren’t expecting the suggestion. Odd. It wasn’t anything obvious, but they had uncertain or blank expressions, though some were indeed eager like she herself seemed to be. This whole situation kept becoming less and less clear to Taekwoon, compounding his previous misgivings. On the other hand, the lure of a possible breakthrough in a library was hard to ignore as well.

Part of him was glad when Insoo agreed with Chaerin’s suggestion and offer. Their time was already spoken for and since part of their patrol run had been intended to try and find this group of riders, they could safely spend a sevenday here and return to the Aerie by the end of another. The other part of him felt that nothing good could come of it and he was desperately trying not to buy into it. No one else seemed bothered and it reminded him of not that long ago when he felt he was going crazy.

_Not alone,_ Jonghyun surprised him, offering a solidarity he hadn’t expected.

_Oh?_

 _Riders smell strange. Dragons uneasy. Gold tense,_ he explained, exhaling slowly behind Taekwoon. _Mate agrees._

_Chaerin?_ he wondered curiously, letting his gaze flicker to her again.

_Smell strange,_ was all the copper could seem to come up with. _More like dragon. Not dragonrider,_ he eventually added, a statement that was only more confusing than enlightening.

Well that was interesting. _Keep watching,_ he encouraged, reaching up to pat Jonghyun’s side gratefully.

_Be careful,_ his dragon countered, one wing twitching.

That he would be. After they broke their camp, they moved as a group towards the remains once more. True to their word, it did look as if someone had tried to clear away a bit of the rubble, but they hadn’t made much headway. Almost by wordless consent, dragons and riders drifted apart in small groups, tackling different remains in teams. Taekwoon was determined to see if there was a library so what he thought was the training hall would be the best place to start.

Both Jonghyun and Jongup helped to start pulling larger pieces of rubble away at his direction. They had to drag some of the larger pieces back, which left space for someone else to join in nearby. He wasn’t entirely surprised, albeit uneasy, when a gold dragon joined in, grabbing a piece of debris and dragging it away so that Chaerin remained in her wake. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and then resumed his work without saying anything.

“You don’t seem to like me very much,” she finally spoke, pushing a smaller piece of stone out of the way.

“I don’t trust you,” he added without looking over, waving at Jonghyun to come help him with a larger piece.

When it was gone and the dragon had stepped back, she asked, “Why?”

“Let’s just call it a gut feeling,” he countered, lightly glaring at her from the side.

She actually laughed at his explanation. “I have a feeling about you too,” she added, turning to look at him more fully. “You feel different from your wing mates,” she went on when he didn’t say anything. “More like a predator,” she explained, laughing once when he turned a very predatory look on her. “See?”

“Like I said,” he murmured softly. “I don’t trust you.”

Chaerin waved at Fei to help with another piece that proved too large and then looked at Taekwoon expectantly when another piece of rubble threatened to shift in turn. With a sigh, he gestured for Jonghyun to help while Jongup took another piece on the other side. As they left, she went on, “It’s more than that. You watch closer than your wing mates do. And you seem to actually sense things before they can.”

Taekwoon’s gut clenched at the description. He knew that behavior was related to his dragon half but he wasn’t about to say as much. Frustrated, he grumbled, “What do you want with me?”

“To talk,” she answered.

“Why?” he snapped back.

“It can’t hurt to get to know your next possible allies,” she admitted, though her eyes dropped to the stone without holding his gaze.

“Then perhaps you should go speak with Insoo,” he suggested coldly. “As one leader to another, you’d likely be working with him more anyway,” he explained before turning away and resuming his task.

She didn’t respond for a long moment and he was almost grateful for the silence. It let them work in earnest for a short time. At least until she spoke again. “You’ve only been with your dragons for such a short time and yet you seem so close already,” she sighed, the sound almost wistful.

“Your point?” he asked without looking over.

“What would you do to protect your dragons?” she asked, the sound so quiet he almost didn’t hear it.

Taekwoon paused and turned to look directly at her. “Is that a threat?”

“No. An honest question,” she promised, meeting his gaze evenly.

He could see she was waiting for his answer, a strange sort of hope and determination looking back at him. It made him uncomfortable in a different way. “I would do whatever I had to,” he finally answered just as softly, hands balling into fists. “Why?”

“Just curious,” she answered, the answer too flippant to be true. “We feel the same way about our dragons. Though it makes sense as we raised them from the egg,” she explained, reaching up to caress Fei’s jaw tenderly.

Taekwoon was conflicted. That much was true. Even a blind man would have been able to see that she truly cared for her dragon. But he did not trust what she was asking about any more than he trusted her. It all made him feel even more uneasy. As he had nothing else that he could say, he didn’t say anything and focused instead on removing rubble. At least he could see a sort of opening becoming apparent.

By midafternoon, they had managed to clear a path into the ruined building, though it would take more time to get further with the way it had collapsed. A couple other places had been somewhat opened as well, and the group was generally in good spirits about what they had found. They called a break shortly after and then agreed to do a little more later before they gave up for the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the delay. I hit a bit of a snag in moving forward, but I'm finally getting around it. lol This chapter and the next might feel a bit weak as a result, but I am at least making progress. I've had to move in a different direction and this isn't a bad thing, but I do keep writing myself into temporary corners. lol Thank you for being patient and I hope that you enjoyed the update all the same. Also, please look forward to the next. I'm hoping to have it out sooner than this one. Thank you!


	25. Interesting Discoveries

By the time they had all settled in for the evening meal, most of them had established a fairly comfortable camaraderie. Taekwoon set himself closer to his wing mates and the dragons intentionally, but the former gradually drifted apart as they were drawn to some of the newer people. Not too surprisingly, Jungkook did go and try to talk to Chaerin for a bit, but Taekwoon wasn’t interested. He would have been happier just calling it a night, but with this much activity, sleep would be a long time in coming.

Instead, he figured it might be easier to escape the noise entirely by taking a torch and heading back to the rubble. He made sure to let Insoo know what he was doing, though the wing leader was still reluctant to let him go off alone, and promised his dragons he’d let them know if he needed help. But really, he just needed to be by himself. The general sense of unease he’d been feeling since meeting these strangers hadn’t dissipated as he’d hoped and it was starting to wear on him. His dragon half was beginning to surface and that always made him unpredictable.

The calm quiet of the night air did work to soothe his spirit as he got into the heart of the remains. There were two openings they’d cleared but he was actually intrigued by the recently opened cave in the back that appeared to lead to a cavern of sorts. Bypassing the other openings, he eased up and peered through the smaller one. The stone doorway had partially collapsed but it looked like if he removed the debris on the bottom, he’d be able to get in. He was intrigued with the way the moonlight illuminated the debris covered ground within.

With the scraping of rocks and a cut finger, Taekwoon managed to make an entryway big enough for him and eased himself inside. The opening at the top would easily allow for even a full sized dragon to land from above and he’d have to keep that in mind for next time. And though the ground was littered with old leaves and the remnants of small nesting things, he could feel that it was mostly soft soil beneath. The middle looked like a dirt pit while the outer ring appeared to be stone with smaller sand pits, if he wasn’t mistaken, though it was hard to say for sure with all the detritus covering the ground.

“Strange,” he hummed, realizing his current aerie had no such structure. He counted out the pits and confirmed there were eight in total. He wasn’t sure if it was significant but there were eight different colors of dragons. He was just about to investigate further when his back prickled and a sick feeling settled in the pit of his stomach. Turning slowly, he was not surprised to see Chaerin making her way into the area, using the light of his torch to guide herself.

“I think it’s an old nesting pit,” she murmured as she drew closer but stopped a couple paces away.

He hadn’t asked but the thought had been starting to cross his mind. “Why did you follow me?” seemed a much better question to ask though. _Chaerin followed._

_Danger?_

_Unsure._

_Careful,_ his dragon warned softly.

“Because I wanted to talk to you,” she answered, licking her lips nervously. She glanced over her shoulder as if to make sure they were still alone and then looked back at him with an expression that made him very wary.

“Why?” he scowled, weight shifting to the balls of his feet preemptively.

“Everyone else was busy and I figured this might give us a good chance to get to know each other better,” she admitted with a glance around the place they were now standing in.

“Why…?” Taekwoon wondered guardedly, his eyes narrowing as he stared at her.

She didn’t look at him and ignored his question as she added, almost like an afterthought, “This was one of the first places I found myself in as well, you know?” She pointed up though as if to indicate she had come in from above as opposed to from the ground.

Despite himself and the unanswered question, Taekwoon followed her gaze and took a small breath. “And?”

“And I think we might not be so different, you and I,” Chaerin smiled, turning the disarming expression on him. Taekwoon’s glare was answer enough and she laughed. “You are very much like a dragon,” she murmured wryly, her mouth twisting into an amused expression.

“And you are not,” he muttered back, tension making his tongue sharper than usual. He didn’t know why but being around her made both his human half and his dragon half agitated.

“No?” she wondered softly, glancing up through the opening. For just a moment, Taekwoon could have sworn her eyes shimmered silver and not with moonlight.

He suddenly felt very off balance as his dragon half stilled, though his human self remained on guard. “Who are you?” he asked quietly, feeling very much as if there was something obvious that he was missing, but he couldn’t see it.

“I already told you,” she reminded him.

“No. No one is just the name they give,” he grumbled, hands balling into loose fists.

“True enough,” she admitted with a slow nod and a sigh. They both glanced up when they heard wings beating overhead. A dragon for sure, but it was hard to say which one in the moonlight. Large though. “Fei,” Chaerin explained quickly as the gold settled protectively at the top of the opening. Her large head peered inside and she glared at Taekwoon defensively. “Stop that, you,” her rider chided gently, interposing herself between the man and the dragon.

“Your dragon certainly doesn’t seem to like me,” Taekwoon couldn’t help but mention, perversely amused by this. Normally, he would have been slightly upset, but this was one dragon he had no qualms about not getting close to. He felt a slight brush of agreement from Jonghyun when the copper listened in enough to realize what was happening.

“She doesn’t know what to think about you,” Chaerin explained as she partially turned to look at Taekwoon out of the corner of her eyes. “She knows you are a rider but you smell more dragon to her and that is confusing when…” she stalled, trailing off on whatever she was going to say.

“When what?” Taekwoon asked immediately, curious about what she was going to say.

“It’s nothing,” Chaerin assured him with a shake of her head. “It’s merely that you are strange is all. The others are normal. Like every other dragon and rider we’ve met. You are not.”

“Nor are you,” he countered with a narrowed glance between them. “You are the first rider I’ve ever seen that has successfully raised a dragon from the egg. No bond. No Trials. And every bit as close to your dragon as I am to mine.”

Chaerin was silent for a moment as she looked up at her dragon, an expression of love and fascination obvious. “It’s not so difficult when you have the opportunity and the time.”

“And who gave you the opportunity?” Taekwoon wondered quickly, once more drawn to her eyes.

“My father,” she answered easily, giving him a sidelong look that was just shy of playful.

“And your father is…?” the dragonrider urged, shifting in irritation from his standing vantage.

“I’m a bastard child of a powerful man and a woman of no stature. Do you honestly think I would tell you who my father is after he gifted me a dragon’s egg?” she laughed incredulously. “Oh come on then, if you’re that worried about me,” she chuckled with a wave at her dragon who awkwardly jumped down into the opening, wings flaring to let her glide down most of the way. She landed heavily as she tried not to flap and throw dust on both of them.

Taekwoon forced himself to relax now that the dragon was here. Strangely enough, it was better even with the protective creature nearby. “Why does your dragon think I smell more like a dragon than the others?” he wondered, not sure how much of he and his dragon half crossed over.

Chaerin shrugged and rubbed the golden head with both hands, keeping her eyes on Fei of Taekwoon. “She just says you smell like a dragon. I can’t smell you,” she reminded him with a quick glance over. “Not the way she can anyway,” she winked teasingly, making Taekwoon frown and take a partial step back. “Though personally, you do have moments where you act or take on elements of a dragon,” she added thoughtfully, the words making him still reactively.

“My dragon says you smell of one too,” he murmured softly, remembering what Jonghyun had told him before.

“Huh,” she hummed in response, focusing her attention on the gold again instead of him or his words.

“Why?” Taekwoon demanded quietly, eyes pinned to her. She shrugged dismissively without looking his direction. It irritated him. “Chaerin,” he called, tone firm and demanding this time.

“I don’t know,” she finally answered, giving him a sidelong glance that didn’t hold the strength of conviction. It made him think she was lying, or perhaps only telling a partial truth, but now was perhaps not the time to try and force something. Fei’s attention turned to him then and she growled a warning in the back of her throat. “Hey,” Chaerin chided, making the dragon fall silent quickly.

“She really doesn’t like me,” Taekwoon snorted, hoping it would provide some sort of barrier between them in the future.

Chaerin sighed as she rested her head against Fei’s, her entire demeanor shifting in that moment. Guards down and active pretenses gone, she seemed softer… more innocent. “It’s not that,” she murmured, taking a deep breath before she pulled herself up and wrapped the mantle of her invisible defenses around her once more.

“Then what is it?” Taekwoon asked, a little disconcerted by the shift he’d witnessed.

She ignored his question and focused her dark eyes on him. “I hope we can learn to see eye to eye, Taekwoon,” she spoke softly, but her tone seemed sincere.

He shook his head in confusion, face twisting to match the feeling. “Don’t change the subject.”

“I should go,” she added as if she hadn’t heard him, waving at him quickly before she ducked past her dragon, effectively fleeing from him.

Taekwoon took an almost involuntary step to follow her and stopped short when Fei reached out to snap in his general direction. “Hey!” he yelped, backpedaling quickly and lowering into a defensive stance, ready for anything. She hissed at him and then jumped up, flapping her wings hard. Taekwoon had to shield his eyes from the resultant debris storm, pelted incessantly by leaves and sticks and even small pebbles, and when he could finally see again, both Chaerin and Fei were gone.

_You okay?_ Jonghyun asked, apparently having seen the dragon at least returning.

_Maybe,_ Taekwoon admitted, at a loss about how to respond to what he’d just experienced. _Strange conversation._

 _Oh?_ the dragon hummed thoughtfully.

_Explain later. How’s team?_ Taekwoon asked brushing himself off and taking another look around the area. Chaerin was definitely gone and so was most of the debris that had been covering the ground.

_Happy. Mostly. Maybe making friends with new riders,_ he answered, clearly amused about something.

_Oh?_ That was interesting.

_See later,_ Jonghyun promised, already turning his attention away from their conversation when something else caught his interest.

That was fine by Taekwoon for now. He was just as happy to be alone again and without Chaerin around, never mind that she had given him plenty to think about. It was true he didn’t trust her, and this conversation hadn’t assuaged that concern, but he was beginning to think there was more to her than any of them were seeing yet. And not just because they all had dragons they’d raised from the egg. For the time being, it was something else he pushed aside as he turned his focus to the recently cleared ground. His torch light was dimming, having nearly died from Fei’s departure, but it was enough to show him the barest of markings on the area around the largest circle.

Kneeling close, he pressed his fingertips to the etched stone and frowned as he realized there was some kind of writing or markings here. It was not a language he was certain he knew though. They looked more like runes than letters. “Strange,” he hummed to himself, biting on his thumbnail as he stared. It was something he would have to come back to with more light for sure. Perhaps his wing mates would know something. Or… he could ask Chaerin and her ilk. Or just let them find it. They were sure to stumble across it eventually at this point.

Taekwoon nodded his head once more and took a small breath. Chaerin was probably right about this place. It felt like a nest for some reason. Or at the least, a good place for there to be a nest. But if that was true, it also begged the question of why Bahamut’s Aerie (and likely Tiamat’s) didn’t have one. It didn’t sit well with him and he was slightly frustrated when he made his way back to the gathered riders and their collective dragons.

It was not so late yet but some of the others had already opted to call it a night and the dragons were mostly spread out, plainly separated from the different… teams, but comfortably sharing the same space. Reassuringly, Insoo was at least somewhat removed from the fray. It was obvious he was keeping an eye on the happenings, very much like a slightly older man seemed to be doing among the others. Unless he was mistaken, he was the rider of the silver dragon. Taekwoon didn’t know his name yet, he made connections to dragons first, but he knew that was one he’d need to keep an eye on. Or at least his dragon half was telling him as much.

Drawing close to his wing leader, he smiled when the other man waved. “Seems like you can’t find peace anywhere you go,” Insoo chuckled softly, though the smile didn’t quite light up his face like usual.

Taekwoon shook his head and sighed as he settled beside the other man. “She wanted to get to know me better.”

“You are a bit of a mystery,” Insoo shrugged, his expression unchanged as he continued to observe the relative strangers.

“I don’t trust them,” Taekwoon admitted softly, letting his eyes pass over quickly so that none might become suspicious.

“You’re not the only one,” his wing leader admitted, mouth twisting to the side in a slight frown. “But if we can learn to trust one another, they could help us balance out our lack of numbers.”

“They don’t seem combat ready,” Taekwoon frowned, having had enough time to get a good look at them and hear about what they were capable of.

“No, but even if they can’t fight, they’d be good for patrols or messages for the most part,” Insoo exhaled, chewing his bottom lip. It was clear he’d been running through their options. “And if they do come with us for the winter moons, we can work with them to become more proficient, even in the cold weather.”

“Do you think they’ll agree?” he couldn’t help but ask, glancing at Chaerin with tense interest as she approached the silver dragon’s rider.

“Can’t say yet, but it’s early still. We’ve got a few days to try and come to some sort of agreement,” Insoo murmured, attention shifting to the same pair Taekwoon was observing. Neither missed her quick glance in their direction. “I imagine they’re probably discussing similar ideas,” he snorted once before taking a quick look around their camp.

“Maybe,” Taekwoon agreed quietly, though he wasn’t entirely so sure. He felt the weight of Chaerin’s gaze and it seemed heavy upon him. Almost defiantly, he turned to meet it and he was mildly surprised when she held his, the expression on her face pensive and judging. When she didn’t look away first, he frowned and followed Insoo’s gaze, touching on the rest of their wing.

Jinyoung and Wooyoung had opted to call it already, curled up close with their respective dragons, though Taeyeon and Jungkook were both engaged with a few other of the new people. Not surprisingly, the latter kept looking in Chaerin’s direction from time to time, but it was a bit unexpected when Taeyeon appeared to be doing the same. Only her attention was generally on the other rider… Huh. Go figure.

“What’s his name?” Taekwoon asked his wing leader with a subtle nod towards Chaerin and her present company.

“Huh? Oh,” Insoo hummed, recognizing the question a heartbeat later. “That’s… Jungsu if I remember correctly. I think he’s the eldest in their bunch,” he murmured quietly, keeping his attention relaxed and not focused on the other man.

“Got it,” Taekwoon nodded once, turning to look at Jonghyun and Jongup, the latter of which was happily sleeping tucked under a copper wing. Jonghyun was alertly watching the rest of the gathering. _Taking notes?_

 _Like you,_ he snorted back, a feeling of amused pride resonating between them.

“Okay. I’m gonna call it for the night,” Taekwoon murmured, brushing his fingers against Insoo’s shoulder to make sure the other man heard him.

“Rest well, Taekwoon. Keep one eye open though, just in case,” he warned, as he probably had for the others too.

“You as well, sir,” he responded with the ghost of a smile. Unfurling to rise, he brushed off the feeling of being watched and made his way to Jonghyun. No one had set any tents up since the weather was nice and the body heat of the dragons made them plenty warm. With a feeling of acceptance and protection, he curled up between the blue and copper dragons. As he rested his head against Jongup’s hide, he couldn’t help but wonder how Jinki was doing…

Jinki had definitely had better days. It had only been five since Taekwoon had left and he was already tired of waiting. Especially since the Aerie just seemed so changed. It was half as full as usual and yet it always felt busy. That meant he was usually busy in turn. Worse, he was filling in for Yongguk who’d been sent on a personal mission for Satoru. The current Aerie Master was needed on the aerie grounds but his second in command was up to the challenge of answering the King’s urgent missive.

That was another dragon and rider gone for the time being. If he remembered right, it had been Aron and JR that he’d gone with. Kokoshir wasn’t that far from Miremaw and it was away from where they’d heard the most recent conflicts were so both Dongwan and Eric had thought it would be a good introductory mission for him. Relatively safe by all accounts. Or at least that was the hope. They had received a very short missive by horse rider earlier that day giving them the briefest of updates from the wing that had ventured into Bondsland, but it was neither encouraging nor reassuring. The only thing they could say for sure was that there were far more dragons among Tiamat’s lands than there were in Bahamut’s…

And it was starting to bleed over more into Kinshire. The last wing they’d sent north had already sent back two injured dragons and one dead rider. Hyesung wasn’t sure the surviving dragon would stay that way, given the injuries he’d sustained and the loss of his rider. Of course they’d sent immediate replacements, but the numbers were thinning and it just felt like everyone was drawn out. Himself included.

“I really hope you find help out there, Woonie,” he sighed as he trudged into the kitchens for a small bite. He had no appetite for the full meal and no energy to field questions or entertain anyone that was left.

Junjin very much surprised him when the older man seemed to just appear with a carved meat sandwich on a hearty roll. “You’re not even an Aerie Master yet but you certainly keep hours like one,” he snorted, waiting patiently for the younger man to accept his offering.

Jinki did so by rote, a weak smile tugging at his mouth. “You’re one to talk. You practically live here,” he added with a subtle nod towards the kitchen.

“Tis my home,” he agreed without hesitation, shrugging helplessly.

“How are you holding up?” he asked, declining to argue. They both knew he used his bed in the Master’s quarters often enough. It was just that he kept particularly strange hours and only needed a little bit of sleep most days.

“There’s the Aerie Master coming through again,” he laughed once, rolling his eyes with a wry grin. It faded quickly though as he glanced around, both noting the absence of any usual helpers in the vicinity. “Better than most,” he sighed, chewing his bottom lip. Most of the messengers had been conscripted to be the eyes on the perimeters while dragons took to the air and the general populous remaining was having to take over the more menial tasks around the Aerie. Even many of the classes had been cancelled or reduced for the time being, though Seunghyun’s lessons continued without pause.

“That is good to hear,” Jinki responded earnestly. Most did not have such a positive response and he was glad for it, even if it was at the expense of others for the moment. “Do you need anything in the meantime?” he asked, taking a quick bite out of the warm and juicy sandwich.

Junjin shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest. “The only thing I need is for this damned whatever it is to be over soon,” he grumbled, glancing around uselessly.

“That makes two of us,” Jinki agreed quickly, taking a breath to combat the feeling of being overwhelmed that accompanied the shift in their conversation. He had never actually anticipated having to deal with something like this. There had always been tension and some minor conflicts between Bahamut’s and Tiamat’s Aerie. This was something else entirely and it worried him greatly.

“Well, in the meantime, just keep doing what you’re doing and don’t work too hard,” the Head Cook chided, freeing a hand to wave a warning finger in the other’s face. “We have to make sure we keep our strength up for everyone else too,” he reminded the Aerie Master in training. “Can’t have you falling out because you’re not taking care of yourself,” he winked.

While it was sage advice, Jinki couldn’t help but comment, “And you would be speaking from experience of course.”

For a moment, his mouth dropped open slightly as he looked mildly affronted, but then he raised his fist into the air, shaking it at an invisible target. “Curse you, Satoru! You insufferable gossip!” he scowled. The expression shifted quickly though and he laughed at himself, as he was wont to do. “Of course I’m speaking from experience, but only because it was treacherously hot and I hadn’t eaten like I should have. The summer moons are not kind in this kitchen,” he explained honestly.

“Of course,” Jinki grinned, immediately taking another bite to hide the laugh that was trying to come out.

“You are terrible, Aerie Master in training that is irritatingly like him,” he snorted, narrowed eyes twinkling in amusement. Jinki shrugged and the head cook continued, “And since you aren’t working yourself to the bone, what are you up to next this evening?”

Jinki took a moment to chew carefully and then swallow his mouthful before he offered an answer. “I should be getting some sleep, but I was thinking about heading to the library. There’s a project Taekwoon and I have been working on that I’d like to try and make some headway on while he’s gone.” ‘This time’ was the unspoken part he did not add…

“Ah. A noble endeavor,” Junjin nodded in understanding. “I’ll not keep you then, though I do suggest sleep before too long,” he laughed once. “And if you need more sustenance, do come by. I don’t mind the company.”

“Yes, sir,” Jinki nodded with a smile, raising the sandwich as a half-salute before he stepped out. He was normally terrible about remembering the books in the library, but he’d been leaving himself notes in obvious places to help him remember. He was not going to disappoint Taekwoon again with having nothing to show for his efforts. Of course his other half wouldn’t say he was disappointed but it was painfully obvious all the same.

Then again, remembering and actually figuring something out were two entirely different things. Cloistered in one of the back rooms in almost eerie silence and nothing but a carefully made glass covered lamp, Jinki stared at the books in irritation. The history one he knew Taekwoon had been working on and making good progress with. He’d just ask for an update when he returned. That left the… journal? And something about magic. That one always sounded interesting, but cracking the cover open and looking at the first page was daunting. “Nope,” he sighed, closing the book on the strange runes and confusing language.

That left the journal. Taking a breath, he pulled it close and opened the cover. The handwriting inside was neat and meticulous. Like every stroke was measured and contemplated before it was put down on the page. The writing was also fairly small and the first page took a great deal of getting used to. When Jinki stared at it long enough, with no distractions and every determination to figure it out, the words started to make sense. Though… like Taekwoon had mentioned, the language sounded strange, coded. Well, some of the language. Carefully thumbing through the pages, he paused on a page near the end with a relatively short entry.

_Dragon War 5, 3 rd moon, 17th day_

_At last, the fighting has finally stopped. The new dawn is strange and I know not how the days shall be. Bondsland and Kinshire languish in the aftermath of the Great Clash. The Aeries are no better. So much death… Men. Dragons. Hatchlings. We lost the last clutch in the previous sevenday and I fear there may not be more soon. Already, the dragons feel… different. As if the loss of their creators has diminished them somehow._

_It is true that Mauthab and Attami have been dealt with at last, but I do not trust Sighe Prith. He has said that we must move and so we shall. Likewise for those in Kinshire. The Aeries must survive, for both dragons and men. I do not deny that Sighe is powerful, but he, like those in his brotherhood, deal in magics beyond mortal means. I understand the need for the Great Binding, but I do not trust the reasoning behind it. Forever is a long time and nothing remains lost indefinitely._

_On the other hand, our new home is to be a place near Wraimme. There are so few of us left… Of four Aeries in Kinshire, we will fit within but one now. I have little doubt of the new Aerie in Bondsland. They suffered much a similar fate. There is to be a convening for a new king soon on both islands. I pray that peace will follow their coronations. We all need time to lick our wounds and heal._

_AM Landris_

“Well then,” Jinki frowned, brow furrowed and eyes aching after making it through the passage. His head spun from trying to make sense of certain things, but unless he was greatly mistaken, this was from the time just after the Dragon Wars, as the date implied. Some of the names were new and completely unfamiliar and he had no ability to try and sort them out now, but it was a revelation in itself that there had been four aeries in Kinshire before. And probably just as many in Bondsland as well. And now there was just the one. And there had been dragon eggs! Wait until he told Taekwoon about that. His other half would be quite excited to hear that bit of information, he was sure.

But… “Why don’t we have eggs now, why don’t we have more than one aerie anymore, and what was the Great Binding?” he wondered, biting his bottom lip as he gently closed the book and sat up, taking a deep breath. He was going to have to ask Satoru about it. He was sure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The process is a little slower with the direction I'm taking, but it is giving me time to check in with both Taekwoon and Jinki. The side by side progression isn't quite as seamless as I'd like, but it works for now. At least the story is moving forward so that's something. haha It's certainly going through quite a few permutations from what I originally intended though. XD lol But thank you for being patient and I do hope that you've enjoyed this latest update. If you have any questions or concerns, please do feel free to let me know! I'm all ears!


	26. Sparring Matches and Unexpected Guests

Three days later and a lot of work in the ruins revealed the rest of the aerie to both groups. While they were unable to find any books, either in the remains of the library or what they assumed was the Aerie Master’s office, Insoo and his wing mates confirmed that it very much resembled the Aerie of today. On the other hand, it was also missing the Aerie Master’s Tower that was present in Bahamut’s Aerie and was likely present in Tiamat’s as well. Not to mention this one had that additional open pit structure that theirs didn’t have.

Speaking of that… when Taekwoon had approached Insoo about the runes he’d seen, the wing leader didn’t know anything. Nor did any of his peers – none had chosen to study such obscure things. Surprisingly, one of Chaerin’s group did… By his account, Ryeowook had been privileged to have access to a full library in his rearing. Though a bastard as well, his mother was at least a minor noble and while he hadn’t been accepted by most people in general, she had loved him and treated him no different. He in turn had spent a great deal of time amongst the books that would not judge him.

“They are runes of protection and warding,” he explained, kneeling beside the pit and tracing his fingers over the etchings. And here… the names of _both_ Bahamut and Tiamat,” he went on, frowning deeply at the words on either side of the circle.

“What kind of protection and warding?” Chaerin asked, brushing past the names.

Narrow eyes nearly disappeared as Ryeowook tilted his head, puzzling the markings out silently for a moment. “I haven’t studied runes in a while, but unless I’m mistaken, that one is protection from illness. That is warding of injury. This one is for luck and that one… should be for strength and intelligence,” he went on, scampering from one marking to the next, fingers tracing over the stone. “I can’t believe we missed these the first time,” he snorted, enamored with their finding.

“That makes two of us,” Taekwoon heard Chaerin murmur before she turned away to speak with her companions. He didn’t miss how she’d seemed just as surprised as they were, especially about Bahamut and Tiamat being listed together. Furthermore, they were all intrigued by the names at each pit. As they’d noticed originally, there were eight in total. The faint and mostly faded markings around each one seemed to indicate they were indeed meant to relate to the eight different type of dragons. A single name was written around each one: the first born of their color – Aurum, Argenti, Aeris, Aes, Caeruleum, Rubrum, Album, and Nigreos.

It was certainly a surprise for all of them, and it was clear that the Aerie members were uncomfortable with what they’d discovered. But at least the other riders didn’t seem particularly at ease either. It almost felt as if they were both hearing of all of this for the first time. Though that did not make them inclined to speak more freely with each other. Taekwoon knew they whispered in the late marks of the night, deliberating about something.

But at least Chaerin has mostly eased up on her insistent previous approach. Oh, she still watched from afar aplenty – Taekwoon could feel her eyes on him fairly often – but she was busy with ingratiating herself among the others. While the others were at least hesitant, both Jungkook and Taeyeon were relatively easy targets. The former because he was interested in her and the latter because she was interested in Chaerin’s companion.

Time was growing short to make a decision before they had to head back to the Aerie and it felt very much like their groups were trying to mix, but there was an underlying tension that made it all but impossible. Jungsu was hardly the only guarded person in their group, but he had an energy that made Taekwoon itch to challenge him. It was irritating…

On the fourth day, Insoo called a gathering of the heads so that both groups could listen in. He and his group had spoken the previous evening and decided they needed to see where the other riders were in terms of combat and ability and it would be good to show them at least a little bit of what they were capable of to try and sway them to their side. “I propose we do a little friendly sparring today,” he smiled disarmingly. “No weapons. Just fists,” he promised, raising both hands suggestively.

Chaerin’s eyes were wary but Jungsu seemed eager enough for such an exchange. His gaze was almost hungry for a fight. “Maybe,” Chaerin started to offer hesitantly.

She was cut off when Jungsu stepped forward and agreed, “That is a good idea. It would be nice to see where we stand,” he added, giving Chaerin a sidelong glance before he shifted to meet Insoo’s gaze.

“Then it is agreed,” Insoo pressed, drawing attention to him again as he looked around the gathered riders.

“But what about those of us who don’t really know how to fight?” Ryeowook asked uncertainly, his bony frame hunched close and one hand raised as if afraid to draw attention to himself.

“You can at least try,” Jungsu said at the same time Insoo waved his concern off with an, “It’s alright.”

Both riders focused on each other and Insoo frowned slightly as he went on first, “We would rather spar those who actually _wish_ to fight.” Taekwoon noticed Ryeowook’s relieved expression though it was equally impossible to miss Jungsu’s slight irritation. Curiously, Chaerin also seemed to be more relieved than disappointed.

“Very well,” Jungsu conceded grudgingly, lips pressed into a frown. “Likewise for dragon sparring?” he wondered before either had a chance to turn away.

That did surprise Insoo and company. He glanced at his wing and they shrugged uncertainly in response. “We thought we might give more of a demonstration as opposed to fighting.”

The answer prompted a disappointed snort from the other rider, but he nodded. “If you insist.”

“We do,” Insoo countered firmly, now that the other had given ground.

“Okay. So perhaps we should meet after the midday meal?” Chaerin stepped in, bypassing Jungsu without looking at him. “That way we can have a chance to decide who would want to spar or not?”

“That is a good idea,” Insoo acknowledged, giving her a respectful nod.

_I’m beginning to think Jungsu is the leader and Chaerin is just the face,_ Taekwoon murmured to his dragon, eyes narrowed as he focused on the other man. Oh how he wanted to be the one to spar with him. Sure, Jungsu had height and weight and age… but it would be so satisfying to knock the smugness off his face.

_Maybe,_ Jonghyun responded slowly, an indicator that he was thinking or otherwise speaking with his mate. _Gold still more of a leader than silver._

“Interesting,” Taekwoon hummed to himself, thumbing at his bottom lip. He was pulled from his thoughts though when Insoo called him over so they could discuss who would be willing to go a round with the others. It was no surprise they all wanted to fight. Not because they had any grudges, but they all felt it would be at least interesting, if not fun to have a practice round with new people. They already knew all of each other’s moves.

“Any preferences?” Insoo asked, glancing around the other five members. Taekwoon raised his hand and he had to struggle not to grumble when Insoo just laughed quietly and shook his head. “Let me guess. Jungsu?”

“Yes,” Taekwoon nodded, flushing slightly when the expressions around the circle seemed to indicate they had all noticed his attention on the other man. He was really going to have to learn not to be so obvious…

“No.” It was a blunt answer and Taekwoon actually flinched in surprise. “If anyone is sparring him, it will be me as your Wing Leader. I want you watching,” he added, directing his comment specifically to Taekwoon but sharing it amongst the rest as he went on. “In all likelihood, he is the pinnacle of their combat ability and I’m not sure how he’s going to respond in the ring.”

“Do you think he’ll try anything dirty?” Jinyoung asked, wary gaze beginning to slide to the other group before he caught himself.

“I don’t know. Which is why I want to make sure he’s fighting me and you are paying attention,” Insoo instructed. After all, Wing Leader was not just an honorary title. It was given to someone who was both able to command and make difficult decisions under pressure as well as one who was able to hold his own well in the ring if it came to ground combat.

“Understood,” the group murmured as a whole, letting the silence lengthen just a touch.

“If she’s fighting, I want to see what Chaerin’s got,” Taeyeon volunteered when it seemed as if the conversation had otherwise finished.

“That’s fair. Anyone else?” Insoo asked, making brief eye contact before nodding. “Okay. I’ll go let them know. May Bahamut favor you all,” he winked, standing up quickly and heading over to speak with Chaerin and Jungsu in the meantime. Though he wasn’t going to be able to fight the one person he wanted to, Taekwoon knew it was certainly going to be interesting.

Much to Jinki’s frustration, Satoru didn’t actually know as much as he hoped about the Great Binding and the other unusual names he’d come across in the book. Or at least he didn’t say as much. It was always hard to tell with the Aerie Master when he was being guarded. And he was being more guarded than usual of late. He did try speaking with Jolin and he even gave Master Historian Kibum an ask, but no one seemed to know about it. Which was just quite confusing for Jinki.

It didn’t help him to feel any better about Taekwoon still being gone and Yongguk hadn’t returned yet either and there was still no good news that had come from the north… The only constants he had to cling to were Junjin’s support from the kitchens and Seunghyun’s lessons that never seemed to stop. Even Gain was inordinately busy most of the time, helping train the newest riders or in her usual role of Paramour. And while all of that was stressful, it was manageable right up until even Dragon Master Dongwan and Captain Yunho had to join in for martial patrols.

Satoru had received an unusual missive that made him more tense than usual and he’d sent Jinki specifically to retrieve the leading dragon riders, including High Dragon Commander Eric. But that had been a mostly closed door meeting that even the Aerie Master in training wasn’t privy to. Not that he had much time to worry about it. Especially since they had a most unusual and unexpected visitor arrive on the eleventh day that Insoo’s wing had departed.

Jinki was doing his usual rounds of checking on the Aerie for Satoru when he nearly fell over in surprise as Sanghyuk startled the life out of him. “There you are!” the younger messenger sighed in relieved exasperation.

“What in Bahamut’s name?!” Jinki exhaled quickly, trying to still his rapidly beating heart before he passed out.

“I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” Sanghyuk continued, shrugging in what one could assume was a very tame apology. Before Jinki could get a word in edgewise, he went on, “Satoru’s looking for you. We have a very strange person in his office. Looked like a beggar, but the Aerie Master ushered him in without a second thought,” he admitted in bafflement.

“Huh,” Jinki blinked, mulling that news over. “How do you know that?”

Sanghyuk’s brows rose and he paused, wrinkling his nose. “Joy saw him come in when I wasn’t paying attention,” he admitted quietly with a gusty exhale.

“Ah,” the other man laughed once, nodding in understanding. Their continued rivalry would always amuse him. “Guess I better go and see what’s up,” he nodded, reaching out to pat the now slightly taller young man on his shoulder. He was growing so much…

“Good luck,” Sanghyuk winked, saluting quickly and then bolting off like an energetic puppy. Growing but still childish at times.

Honestly, Jinki was happy for him. At least he still had some of that exuberance that he’d had to watch fade out of far too many people in the Aerie already. This situation they had found themselves in was sapping everyone bit by bit. And news of an unexpected visitor did not instill confidence in him at all. Squaring his shoulders, he took a deep breath and hurried to the Aerie Master’s office.

When he arrived, he knocked, as was polite, and heard an immediate summons to enter. However, he was not expecting to see Healer Mimi in attendance, checking over a very deprived looking man in what amounted to little more than rags. He didn’t look particularly injured but gaunt and sorely in need of a good meal, good rest, and a nice long soak.

A crease marred Mimi’s forehead as he looked into one eye and then the other and then exhaled once. “Well. You’re certainly not in good health but you won’t be dying immediately so…” he trailed off, glaring at Satoru briefly, “I will have Junjin send something over as soon as possible and you better drink that tea Satoru gave you right now.”

The newcomer gave a dry and pained laugh before he nodded ever so slightly. “I will,” he then croaked, raising an emaciated hand to wave off the healer’s concern.

“Priests,” Mimi sighed with a roll of his eyes and a shake of his head. “Don’t you push him too hard either,” he warned the Aerie Master like a parent with their child. “I’ve half a mind to invoke my healer’s oath and whisk him away immediately.”

“Mimi,” Satoru smiled in gentle amusement as he approached the taller man and laid a hand upon his arm. “If this were not important, I would send him myself. Be sure I will not tax him and will send him to you immediately once we are finished.”

Mimi glanced at Jinki who stood rooted to the spot just inside the doorway. “Good. I expect you to help hold him to that word,” he stated simply, waiting for Jinki to respond before he moved.

“Of course,” Jinki nearly stammered as he looked at Satoru and then back at the Master Healer. He hurried to move out of the way as Mimi brushed past him, muttering in frustration under his breath and obviously cataloguing what he intended to prepare for whoever this… priest was.

“Here you are,” Satoru urged, placing a cup of tea in the other man’s hands gently. Jinki had a gut reaction desire to warn him but he held his tongue and took a small breath. Given the situation, he very much doubted the Aerie Master would be drugging this draught.

“Thank you,” the priest answered, hands trembling as they raised the delicate glass to their lips and took a hesitant sip. “It’s very good,” he murmured appreciatively, finally turning his head to get a glimpse of Jinki. “Oh,” he smiled, the honest and warm expression taking nearly ten years off of him, making the visage frustratingly familiar. “So you did decide to follow in the Aerie Master’s footsteps after all. I’m glad. Satoru needs people like you around him,” he laughed once, expression faltering when he coughed and nearly spilled the tea.

“Careful,” Jinki urged automatically, moving close to offer assistance if needed.

“It has been a while but I do think you’ll remember Bahamut Priest Junsu,” Satoru commented, stepping around to take a seat across from the other man. He wrapped his robes around him quickly and settled in to wait for what would come next.

“Junsu?” Jinki blinked in surprise, the name triggering a memory automatically. He’d never forget the priest that had brought Taekwoon here, though he’d seen him more recently about three years ago. It was strange that he hadn’t been back since then. Usually, he made yearly appearances. “Of course,” he admitted, nodding in understanding as he turned new eyes on the changed visage.

Sunken face and haunted eyes. He had lost too much weight and had clearly not been taking care of himself. “Aye. It has been too long and save for recently, that was my fault,” he admitted, taking another small sip and drawing a steadying breath. “I had to fill in for some of my brethren in far reaching horizons,” he murmured softly, eyes pained.

“Did they fall ill?” Satoru asked, threading his fingers together loosely. Jinki too was curious and he took a seat next to Junsu, staying ready should he need to help the other man.

“I know not,” Junsu admitted, biting his bottom lip softly. “Some simply disappeared. We have heard no word from them and I fear…” he trailed off, his expression darkening as he glanced at Jinki uncertainly.

Satoru seemed to understand his hesitation and offered a reassuring wave. “As one of my next in line, he is safe enough to speak in front of. I would not have summoned him here otherwise,” he promised assuredly.

Junsu relaxed noticeably at the promise but the pain was still there. “I fear…” he continued, taking another sip, “that they have been lost to us.”

“Slain?” Satoru wondered, one brow rising archly. Junsu nodded so slowly they almost missed it. “Bandits?”

He shook his head. “No. I was half afraid I had lost my mind. Honestly, I’m still wondering,” he admitted, brow furrowed and dark eyes tormented. “The High Priest…” he offered hesitantly, confusion swallowing his expression.

Both Satoru and Jinki sat up at that mention. “What about the High Priest?” Satoru pressed gently, leaning forward just a bit.

“I’m not… positive,” Junsu whispered, clutching the cup tightly between his hands. It trembled beneath the skeleton-like fingers. “I think… he is behind their disappearances. Maybe,” he spoke, the sound little more than a fading breath.

Jinki reached out a hand almost reflexively, the desire to comfort or at least offer it very strong. A minute gesture from Satoru made him pause and the Aerie Master continued, “What makes you think that, Junsu?”

For a moment, a modicum of strength and life returned to Junsu as he seemed to remember something pleasant. His eyes unfocused briefly and he took a breath, still looking at something far away. “There was another priest. We were… close,” he explained with a bittersweet smile. “And I had come back early to surprise him. He promised me we would meet after he spoke with the High Priest. He’d been… summoned for something. But…” he trailed off, chewing at his lip absently as he seemed to return to himself slowly. “He… I never saw him again.”

“And when was the last time you saw him?” Satoru prompted gently, eyes unusually narrowed.

Junsu leaned back and frowned in thought, obviously counting down the days. “When was it…?” he openly wondered, looking for something. He didn’t find it immediately and closed his eyes as he counted silently and then blinked in surprise. “I guess it would be about six moons ago. It was just starting to get hot,” he mused, glancing between Jinki and Satoru slowly.

“That is quite a bit of time,” the Aerie Master admitted.

“Yes. And it wouldn’t have been the first time one had been called away and just stopped responding, but… when I finally went to ask the High Priest about him… I… I saw…” he frowned, almost as if confused.

“Yes?” Satoru coaxed softly, leaning over just enough to catch Junsu’s eyes with his.

“I saw his Bahamut token in the High Priest’s office,” he admitted, laughing once as if it was something that should have been impossible.

“How did you know it was his?” the Aerie Master wondered. “I mean, you all have one, correct?”

“Yes, we do,” Junsu nodded in agreement, raggedly reaching under his destitute clothes and pulling a shiny Bahamut token on a leather thong out. “But his… he’d dropped it so many times and it had become bent from a cart running over it once. We’d laughed about it and I would recognize it anywhere…” he trailed off, sniffing once.

“Are you sure he didn’t just lose it?” Jinki couldn’t help but ask. Goodness knew he’d done that a time or two. But he flinched and fell silent when Satoru glanced at him sharply.

Even Junsu turned an annoyed look at him. “We don’t just lose these. They are almost like a part of us,” he explained, rubbing the coin between his thumb and forefinger in a practiced motion. That would explain why it was so shiny… “And the High Priest… He was… he just didn’t… he couldn’t give a good answer,” Junsu explained, the confusion back. It was like the whole situation was a test and he didn’t know how to respond.

Satoru leaned forward a bit closer and made sure that his eyes became level with Junsu’s before he started speaking. “When you spoke with the High Priest, did he seem different at all?” he wondered softly, one hand brushing at his sleeve almost reflexively.

Jinki almost missed it, being as focused as he was on the answer and the intense look on Satoru’s face. But he did happen to glimpse just the edge of what looked like some kind of tattoo or marking on Satoru’s wrist. He frowned because it was strange, obviously since no one else had such markings on their arms, but also because for a moment… it reminded him of some of the markings he’d seen in the magic tome. So focused was he that he almost missed Junsu’s answer.

“Yes…” he whispered uncertainly, a far off look in his eyes again. “I mean… it wasn’t a look exactly. You can’t see him for all that he stays hidden. For his own safety mind you,” he added, parroting the reason they’d all been given almost by rote. “But… he _felt_ … different,” Junsu explained, eyes lowering to his forgotten tea as if he was trying to find the words to describe it. “Like there was this…” he gestured in the air, free hand flailing uselessly.

“Energy?” Satoru offered softly, his expression carefully neutral.

“Yes!” Junsu agreed with a sharp sound, snapping his fingers and pointing at the other man. “Energy. Like he had… more, if that makes sense.”

“Aye. It does,” Satoru murmured in a quiet tone, nodding ever so slowly. His face showed more pity than anything else and it shifted quickly to sincere concern once more as he focused his energy on the frail man before him. If Jinki wasn’t used to it by now, he would have almost thought it some kind of strange magic. “And how did you come to be in this state, my friend?” he asked, the important information uncovered for the moment.

Junsu looked down again and clasped both hands around the tea cup once more, the Bahamut token cupped between his palm and the glass. “I was… running. From the High Priest,” he explained uncertainly. “Or maybe just running from shadows,” he admitted, shaking his head. “I couldn’t let Yoochun’s disappearance go and I kept asking around and then it felt like the High Priest was watching me. Waiting. Judging. I… didn’t feel safe. So I left. But everywhere I went, there were dragons or other priests. He has eyes everywhere… Maybe even here but this is Bahamut’s rest. I thought… maybe… I could find peace here. All dragons are bonded or loyal to the Aerie and… I didn’t know where else to go,” he explained, sniffing once more.

“Shh,” Satoru soothed, leaning forward to cup his hands around Junsu’s. “You are safe here. Rest assured, Junsu,” he promised, his dark eyes sincere and earnest.

“Thank you,” he whispered back, a tremulous smile tugging at his cracked and weathered lips.

For a moment, it seemed as if time itself stretched peacefully through the quiet space. And then Jinki nearly jumped when someone knocked on the door. “I’ll get it,” he offered, immediately getting up to hide the flush in his cheeks at being caught so unaware again. He could practically feel Satoru’s amusement at his back, but it mattered little when he opened the barrier to see, “Henry. Himchan,” he murmured in surprise.

“Hey, Jinki,” Henry waved once, giving a quick smile before he leaned around to peek inside. “Mimi sent us over with food from Junjin and instructions to take care of the newcomer once you were done.”

“Perfect timing,” Satoru smiled as he stood up easily and moved to open the door the rest of the way so Himchan could step inside with the rich, brothy soup and soft bread.

“Hey Jinki,” he whispered with a curious smile as he stepped inside and made to set the food down in front of Junsu so he could offer it to him, ready to help if needed.

Satoru ushered Henry to have a seat as well as he steered the conversation to more light hearted topics as they gently cajoled Junsu into eating. Jinki watched in fascination and listened intently, wondering how the Aerie Master was able to switch so easily between his different guises. Before, he was very much the focused information gatherer and now he was a delighted host taking care of his guests. It was… amazing, but also a little intimidating. Especially because he was able to keep the main focus away from Junsu himself while he ate pitifully slowly. It was obvious he was hungry – damn near starving – but he seemed to have little appetite at first.

Eventually, Himchan was able to get Junsu to finish his meal with Henry looking over, a satisfied gleam in his eyes. “You look a couple shades better already, from what I’ve heard,” Henry chuckled playfully, brushing his fingertips against Junsu’s shoulder.

“I am beginning to feel alive again,” he smiled, the expression genuine if a bit forced. “Though I must admit to being quite tired now,” he added, stifling an unexpected yawn.

“I can imagine. A full belly and a comfortable seat will do that to most people,” Himchan winked, gathering up the tray and rising as he headed for the door. “I’ll just run these back to Master Junjin and meet you in the Healer’s Hall.”

“Thank you, Himchan,” Henry nodded, remaining at Junsu’s side while Jinki rose to help the younger man with the door.

“Looks like an interesting situation,” Himchan whispered with a curious glance at the room as he stood beside Jinki.

“An interesting situation I cannot discuss. You know better,” Jinki chided in amusement, though he did place a caring hand on the younger man’s back. “You did well today.”

“I tried,” Himchan shrugged, flashing as bright a smile as he could and then nodded at the door expectantly. “Thank you,” he chuckled when Jinki opened it for him, both bowing slightly as he departed.

“Hold the door,” Henry urged when Jinki was just about to shut it. “We’re off to see Master Mimi,” he explained, gently shepherding Junsu along.

Though the priest was clearly older, he was also obviously tired and in need of good care. He made no effort to resist and was happy enough to follow along. Before he stepped through the door though, he paused and looked back at Jinki and then Satoru, a glimmer of worry in his eyes. “Be careful. These are… dangerous times,” he admitted, gaze growing dark again.

Henry looked between them all curiously before Satoru nodded sagely as if the response was completely normal. “We will, Junsu. And thank you for your words today. We appreciate them,” he promised, bowing respectfully before the Healer guided them both out.

Jinki closed the door behind them and turned around to see Satoru leaning against his desk, head bowed and hands planted firmly on the surface. “Satoru?” he asked quietly, taking a hesitant step towards him.

Satoru took a breath and raised his head to rub his jaw with one hand. “Dangerous times indeed,” he sighed, fingers moving to brush against his sleeves once more.

“Sir?” Jinki asked softly, leaning to the side to try and get a look at Satoru’s face. The older man hummed a response but didn’t look at him yet, focused on something else. “Could what Junsu said be true?” he asked, not sure if he wanted to hear the answer.

“Many things are possible, Jinki,” Satoru responded after a moment. “Sometimes we just don’t know it until it happens.”

“Sir?” he wondered aloud, confused by the response.

“Nothing,” Satoru laughed once, shaking his head slowly. “I was simply thinking aloud. Why don’t you call it a day for now?” he offered, turning a tired look on the younger man. “There’s a lot I need to think about and we won’t be getting much work done today anyway.”

“Are you sure?” Jinki asked. It felt wrong to leave now and he had so many more questions than answers.

“Yes. It’s alright. I’ll summon you should I need your presence,” he promised, moving close to clasp both shoulders in his surprisingly strong hands. “Thank you, Jinki.”

“Of course, sir,” Jinki responded, nodding in uncertain acknowledgment. With no real reason to stay and no questions to ask that he knew he’d get an answer for, Jinki opted to step out. When he closed the door behind him, he looked ahead and noticed the mural again. That same cracked spot called to him once more and this time, he really felt like there was something underneath he needed to see. Just… not today. Yet. He was almost at the beg for forgiveness as opposed to ask for permission stage, but he would wait for Taekwoon to return at least. His other half might have some much needed insight into everything and it was something he desperately hoped for.


	27. New Aerie Members

Returning to the Aerie ahead of schedule hadn’t exactly been their plan, but because of what happened, Taekwoon agreed it was a good idea. Especially since Chaerin and the rest of her group had seemed agreeable to the suggestion. Relieved even, which was a little strange in and of itself. Not for the first time, Taekwoon glanced around his wing, taking note of where they were around the new group: six dragons on the outside and seven on the inside. It was very much a direct flip of their first meeting, but all parties appeared at least comfortable with it. More or less.

_Any trouble?_ he asked his dragon again, the copper flying reassuringly under him.

Jonghyun did not respond immediately, as he took a couple wing beats to observe the group. Insoo on Gunwoo was leading the flight, as expected, while the rest of his wing mates had taken positions on either side of the other seven. He himself was riding in the rear, both guard for and of them, with Jongup providing support as circling eyes. The dragons within seemed a bit subdued but strong enough. Though their human riders didn’t have the combat prowess the wing riders did, the dragons could prove to be a challenge if they wanted.

_No,_ Jonghyun responded at last, his flight pattern unchanged as he moved. _Dragons are… happy? No. Relieved is better. Worried about riders, but no trouble from them._

Well that was interesting. The riders seemed worried too, but none would say about what. Not that he had tried to ask them personally. He was happy enough to remain apart, especially since Chaerin had finally stopped trying to get so close to him. Maybe it was just a ruse to get him to let his guard down, but it didn’t feel that way. No… there had been a definite shift in her after their sparring bouts. That could have been because of what happened, but he thought there was more to it.

_You should have fought too,_ Jonghyun grumbled, still annoyed that none had volunteered for a round with his rider.

_I wanted to,_ Taekwoon agreed, eyes jumping over the riders in their midst. Other than Jungsu though, he didn’t think any would have been much of a challenge. And really… it was probably better he hadn’t sparred with Jungsu. He’d gotten control of his dragon half but there was no telling how he might have reacted to such underhanded treachery.

_Bad leader,_ the copper snorted, a distinct feeling of ‘good riddance’ bleeding through their connection.

_I thought you said Fei was the leader?_ Taekwoon questioned, still trying to better understand the power dynamics in the group. Well, he knew the hierarchy of everyone else except for that between Jungsu and Chaerin, due in no small part because Jonghyun kept telling him conflicting information. As a human, Jungsu felt like the leader, though Chaerin said she was. For the dragon, Fei was very much the leader and the silver a second in command.

_Gold is. Not sure rider was,_ he explained, glancing back with one amber eye.

“Huh.” That would certainly explain some of her relief. Their sparring matches had all gone well enough between those who had volunteered. Jinyoung had sat out, much like Taekwoon, but everyone else had battled. Chaerin had even put up more of a fight than most thought she would, though ultimately Taeyeon did win in the end. The trouble hadn’t really shown up until Jungsu’s fight with Insoo.

_Do you think he had private tutor training or military leader training?_ Taekwoon wondered for his dragon. He’d asked his wing mates already, but they all felt very strongly about the former option. He did too, but he liked getting his dragon’s opinion, a fact his dragon also appreciated.

Jonghyun’s snort was answer enough, but he did add, _If he had acted like that with Combat Master, broken arm would be light punishment._

 _Indeed,_ Taekwoon agreed quickly, nodding his head along with the thought.

That was very much why he wasn’t with them now. When he found himself losing against Insoo, much earlier than he obviously expected, the other man had pulled a knife on the Wing Leader. It was a testament to Insoo’s skill and levelheadedness that he did not return the favor, though he was injured in the process. He suffered a stab wound in the side, nothing life threatening but still painful, before he almost literally disarmed his opponent.

They had all briefly discussed returning to the Aerie for treatment but Jungsu had declined and insisted that he would be going to Fantor instead. Two other riders had… defected with him, taking a blue and bronze dragon with them. After being treated, Insoo had insisted upon a private meeting with Chaerin. Taekwoon wasn’t sure what they spoke about but he figured it likely mentioned a promise about not trying something like that again if they did agree to come with them.

So here they were. Almost back to Bahamut’s Aerie two days ahead of schedule and none too soon for Taekwoon. He was just happy they were almost home as the weather felt like it was turning again and he was more than ready to see Jinki. And get away from Chaerin, even if she had eased up. He still didn’t trust her entirely. Her comment about ‘doing what she had to in order to protect her dragon’ had stuck with him and he couldn’t quite shake the foreboding it made him feel.

He was startled from his thoughts by a distant dragon’s roar and every head turned to the right side as they spotted another wing in the offing. _Is that Hero?_ Taekwoon asked uncertainly, knowing it would be strange if it was. Yunho didn’t normally patrol with the others unless something big was going on.

_Yes,_ Jonghyun grumbled in response, his sight and dragon recognition better than his rider’s.

_Look’s like they’re coming to escort us,_ he mused in response, trying to hide his genuine amusement at Jonghyun’s continued grudge against the silver dragon. And that was fine, but despite his amusement, the fact it was Yunho gave Taekwoon cause for concern. They had only been gone for just under two sevendays… What had happened in that time for things to change so much?

He didn’t have to wait long to find out. Yunho and Hero arrived shortly and their wing surrounded all the dragons, an extra precautionary measure with the appearance of the seven new ones in their midst. Yunho himself flew close to Insoo to speak as they angled their way to the Aerie. Even as they got closer, Taekwoon noticed that it seemed quieter than usual. There weren’t as many dragons on the walls as he was used to, and it was a mild disappointment to miss seeing Jiho and N actually. If they’d been called out for patrolling or work in a wing, things must be getting bad.

On the other hand, it wasn’t surprising to see Aerie Master Satoru and High Dragon Commander Eric waiting for them to land before they’d gotten too close. They were quickly pushed out of mind however when he noticed Jinki standing nearby, face turned up as he stared at their arrival.

_Mate,_ Jonghyun commented unnecessarily, though his tone was pleased.

_I see,_ Taekwoon smiled in response, glancing at Jongup to see the blue had noticed as well. He was winding through the air in what one might call a happy performance and that feeling permeated through Jonghyun’s mate bond and into Taekwoon in turn. It was a welcome sensation indeed.

Frustratingly, as soon as they landed, he was not given time to steal Jinki away. No. Instead, he was called away with all the other new dragonriders to speak with Satoru and Eric privately. Yunho waved them off easily enough. “We’ll look after your dragons and keep an eye on the newcomers,” he promised, saluting Satoru and Eric before nodding once at Insoo and extending a measured look towards the rest of the gathered individuals. Taekwoon almost chuckled when it felt as if Yunho nearly skipped over him. Their eye contact was almost laughably brief but it was enough. He was still more Captain than biased man to maintain his professionalism, even if his dragon wasn’t always quite so controlled.

Instead of moving towards the Aerie Master’s office – they would never all fit inside comfortably, they were shepherded toward Master Seunghyun’s training salle. It was both a secure and private space that, while cold initially, would warm up quickly with their combined body heat. It also had the added bonus of having Seunghyun nearby just in case the newcomers proved to be a handful. Taekwoon was sure that Insoo would have explained the situation but he had to commend the leaders for taking no chances. With the Aerie as depleted as it was – he had yet to see the usual runners who always made an appearance – being cautious was no bad thing.

The Combat Master himself was typically unreadable, stoic expression more than intimidating for any that didn’t know him. Furthermore, he had to clear out his current students – the most recent group of grounded riders who were in for conditioning – and that meant more guards to stand watch outside. Taekwoon suspected a lot of it was for show, but it never hurt to be ready for anything. Glancing at Chaerin, he could see that she at least appeared a bit overwhelmed and more than a little nervous. He almost – almost – felt sorry for her. It dissipated quickly when he found himself next to Jinki who had managed to slink back to join him from the front.

“Hey,” Jinki whispered with a suppressed smile, keeping his face mostly turned forward.

Taekwoon had to hide his own when he felt the other man’s hand brush against the back of his. “Hey yourself,” he answered, looking at him just enough to drink in his profile and the warmth he summoned so easily.

“You okay?” his other half asked, glancing around the gathering uncertainly, though he kept his voice so low it was almost hard to hear.

“Yeah. I’ll tell you all about it later,” he promised, curling his fingers around Jinki’s hand and giving a light reassuring squeeze. “You?”

“Same,” Jinki responded, mirroring the hand squeeze.

It was the barest of exchanges and yet, it was also enough for the moment. Taekwoon wanted to escape with the man at his side, but duty and his own curiosity called. There would be time enough for them to be alone together later. For now, the leaders of the Aerie wanted to talk and he was not going to naysay them. Especially when it might give him a better idea of what it was that Chaerin wanted.

Initially, there wasn’t any seating present and they all sort of just milled around uncertainly, each casting nervous glances to those present. But then, the doors creaked open after a quiet knock and some of the errand runners and the newest Aerie residents entered carrying long benches from the dining hall. Taekwoon caught sight of Sanghyuk and was glad to see that the younger man was still doing alright. It appeared that Joy was his carrying partner too, which wasn’t all that unsurprising. They noticed him shortly after they entered and excited smiles quickly gave way to nervous ones as they took in the full company. Their following companions had similar reactions – no one knew quite what to think…

Nor were they allowed to stay to find out. As soon as they had settled the benches, they were ushered out by Seunghyun, whose glare was enough to intimidate even hardened veterans. Then the Combat Master vacated the room and left the heads of the Aerie with the returning wing and their newest companions.

“Please have a seat,” Aerie Master Satoru encouraged as he gestured gracefully towards the hard benches. Neither he nor Eric moved to do so, but at his behest, the others did. Taekwoon felt Jinki’s hand tighten in his perceptibly as they settled, Aerie riders on one side and the newcomers on the other. He cast a bemused glance at the strangers and added, “You can be at ease. We are not dragons who might be tempted to eat you.”

Insoo’s wing chuckled quietly. Chaerin’s remained uncomfortably quiet. That alone helped to reinforce Taekwoon’s thoughts that there was something else to their coming here. Most nervous people laughed at least a little bit when under stress. Satoru raised a brow at the lack of response but made no other mention of it. He did turn his full attention on Chaerin when she rose to speak first.

“Forgive our lack of response,” she began with a polite bow, her voice strangely neutral. It felt as if she’d practiced such a tone before… “We are simply anxious about being separated from our dragons,” she explained, gesturing towards her own group members who nodded in silent agreement.

“Are you not in contact with them now?” High Dragon Commander Eric asked immediately, his dark brows pulled down in a sign of obvious confusion.

“We cannot speak with our dragons the way you do yours. We feel them and they us. Enough to know that we are all… anxious, but little more,” she admitted, her tone remaining almost detached in its delivery.

“I see,” Satoru murmured with a nod in her direction, almost apologetic. “We’ll try not to keep you separated for too long then. After all, we are tentatively grateful for your willingness to join us here. Though we judged it prudent to speak in private without prying eyes and ears before any larger decisions might be made.”

“Of course,” Chaerin answered, giving a deferential nod. Taekwoon’s brows dropped in confusion as this was another persona from whom they’d met before. Oh, she was very much Chaerin, the rider of Fei, but this persona was not the carefree or even conflicted one they’d seen in the old aerie. This one was guarded and careful. It was strange. Well… strang _er_ anyway.

Satoru gave her a small bow before he shifted closer to Eric to speak with him, exchanging words that did not carry beyond their ears. Both nodded and hummed and then came to a swift decision. “Very well. We will convene with our riders after this, but first, we would like to know you and how you feel about the _idea_ of joining our Aerie.”

Chaerin did not answer immediately. She paused to look back at her own companions, making brief eye contact before she did. It almost appeared that she took strength from them though no words were actually exchanged. “After you, please,” she encouraged with a practiced bow and extended gesture towards him.

Satoru looked amused and Eric seemed slightly chagrined at the oversight on their part. “Apologies,” the Aerie Master smiled, bowing in turn. “I am Aerie Master Satoru and this is High Dragon Commander Eric. We are the leaders of Bahamut’s Aerie and we would like to formally extend our welcome to you and your companions.”

“Thank you, Aerie Master Satoru. High Dragon Commander Eric. We accept your invitation,” she expressed, the feeling almost ritualistic. “I am Chaerin, rider of the gold dragon Fei. If you would, please allow me to introduce my companions,” she went on, turning to gesture towards the riders behind her. Each rider she named, including their dragons, raised their hand in acknowledgement and then gave a slight bow, never taking their eyes off the Aerie leaders. As much as he was unsure of them, Taekwoon approved of the readiness, though coming from them, it felt more like a learned behavior as opposed to a trained one.

When she was finished, Satoru glanced at Insoo, as if in confirmation, and when he received a subtle nod in response, he smiled. “We are pleased to make your acquaintances. Now, your thoughts on our Aerie?” he prompted, hands rising slightly to gesture at the space around them.

Chaerin nodded in understanding and took a small breath, gently clasping her hands before her. “If you would have us, we are interested in lending you our numbers provided certain conditions are met.”

“Oh?” Eric blinked in amused surprise. It was clear he hadn’t expected her to be so blunt.

Taekwoon hadn’t either, but the tiny motion of her clasped hands made him focus harder. She was practically trembling. From what, he didn’t know, but he didn’t think she was afraid. The energy felt wrong, but it would be interesting to find out, if he could.

“Of course,” Satoru murmured with a nod as if he had expected such a statement. Eric mirrored him like a shadow and both waited patiently for the response.

“Should you accept us, we request that you treat us no differently than your own Aerie residents. That you do not separate us, for any reason, unless we agree with it. And most importantly, that you train us and our dragons to fight.” She stopped speaking suddenly, her expression determined though her body language tense and uncertain. She was easy enough to read and Taekwoon wondered why she required the last part…

Satoru exchanged a look with Eric and they both nodded lightly. “The first requirement is a matter of no dispute. If you are in the Aerie, you are of the Aerie. The second, we have no qualm with either. The third…” he trailed off, glancing at the Dragon High Commander. All eyes turned to him as they waited for his own inquiry.

“Why is it that you insist upon learning combat? You would be just as useful by riding patrols or running messages as needed without the need of learning to fight at this late stage,” he explained simply, expression carefully neutral. They all knew they needed fighting dragons, but the fact they had made it a requirement of their stay was worth questioning.

“We feel it is in our and our dragons’ best interests to do so,” Chaerin hedged, a note of traitorous uncertainty creeping into her tone. Taekwoon knew she had not meant for the sound to escape and her shaking hands intensified.

Eric’s eyes narrowed just a touch and he took a small breath. “You have obviously done well thus far without having learned combat the way you must be intending here. So… why is it in your best interest _now_?” he pressed, interest piqued but everything else about him unchanged.

Chaerin glanced at her companions who all seemed to be just a bit more nervous about the situation. She looked down briefly and one hand rose to her breast, resting lightly above her heart. Her eyes took on a slightly unfocused look and it was easy enough to see she was reaching out to her dragon. Or vice versa… When she spoke again, her voice was strong and determined. She pulled her shoulders back and met the High Dragon Commander’s gaze evenly. “Because we have not been given the opportunity to train as you have and with the growing conflict beyond the walls of the Aerie, it is not enough that we can be mere patrols or messengers. Larger battles and wars care not who they kill, be they trained to fight or otherwise. At least with training, we might have a better chance, come what may.”

Taekwoon glanced at Jinki out of the corner of his eye and he could see that her words had at least reached him. The other man’s face was focused and in some degree of awe. Not entirely surprising. She had a certain amount of charisma when she wanted. And if he hadn’t been exposed to her previously, he might be similarly swayed, but her pretty words, while true, still felt like they were hiding something else. He just didn’t know what. It didn’t help that she hadn’t been able to rally herself until she’d spoken with her dragon either… Once more, her comment about protecting Fei came to mind and he bit his bottom lip thoughtfully, content for the moment to see how the scales tipped.

High Dragon Commander Eric nodded once and looked at Satoru, apparently waiting for the final word. The Aerie Master nodded once in turn and Eric turned back to speak. “Very well. Your third condition is also acceptable. With the coming winter moons, we will not be able to train you in the full extent of combat maneuvers. Not safely. But given your assumed levels, there is much we can accomplish in the meantime.”

Relief made Chaerin’s shoulders relax just a touch, and the hint of a smile tugged at her mouth. “Thank you,” she murmured, offering a lower bow, but one that still let her keep them in her sights.

Eric grunted a satisfied response, but then his gaze turned thoughtful as he regarded the rest of the group. “There are seven of you, which makes for an odd wing number. And normally, we would group you with more experienced members in partial wings to get a better feel. Given your desire to remain together,” he started, waiting for Chaerin’s confirmation. She nodded firmly and he continued, “We will need to discuss training possibilities.”

“Actually…” Chaerin started, raising her hand with a quick glimpse at Insoo’s wing. “If they are agreeable, we would like to continue working with Wing Leader Insoo’s wing.” That raised some eyebrows and Eric glanced at Insoo who seemed just as caught off guard by the suggestion. “We at least know them and they know a bit of how we work and since we already have an understanding of sorts, we would be more comfortable working with familiar dragons and riders for the time being.”

“Interesting proposition,” Eric commented, looking at Insoo to see how he and his group would feel.

Insoo was thoughtful, if nothing else, and he did not answer first. He waited to turn to his wing mates before doing so. Taekwoon was neither for or against the idea. There was some merit to her suggestion. He just… didn’t really want to be in a position where they continued to work together so closely. Not unexpectedly, the others felt similarly about her proposal and most were tentatively for it. “For now, we are open to help train them, High Dragon Commander,” Insoo relayed, standing up to deliver his response.

“Well then. That seems to wrap up any preliminary concerns,” Eric commented with a slight shrug and upturned hands. “I shall now leave them in your capable hands, Master Satoru,” he smiled, turning to offer a partial bow at the Aerie Master.

“Of course. I shall leave you to depose your charges. Chaerin and company. If you will follow me, we can attend to your dragons and start to get you settled,” Satoru offered, extending his hand to help usher them outside. He turned and looked at Jinki pointedly.

Apparently slightly chagrined, Jinki bowed his head in acknowledgement and gave Taekwoon an apologetic look. “I’ll see you later,” he whispered, giving the other man’s hand a quick squeeze before getting up to essentially lead the way. Taekwoon watched him go with frustration and pride both. He wanted him to stay but being an Aerie Master in Training was also an important role, though it made him curious as to where Yongguk was. Surely the other man should be here as well…

“Thank you,” Chaerin murmured again, bowing a bit lower this time. Her companions stood and rallied around her quickly. They all clustered together as they started to move out in a group, following Jinki’s lead as Satoru brought up the rear.

Taekwoon noticed that Eric was still watching them closely as they left. Just because he’d agreed to let them stay didn’t mean they were fully trusted just yet. Though they were tentatively of the Aerie now, eyes would be on them constantly for the time being as well. Whether by default or design. Taekwoon knew he’d be keeping a close watch on them regardless. Most seemed good enough, but with what had happened with Jungsu and how he felt about Chaerin… he wasn’t about to let his guard completely down.

“Now then,” Commander Eric commented as he drew their attention back to him once the door was closed. “I believe congratulations are in order for finding the heretofore missing dragonriders we were searching for, but something tells me there’s more to the tale than meets the eye,” he chuckled once, shifting to take a seat across from them. “Why don’t you just start from the beginning and we can figure the rest out from there?” he suggested, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees, expression open and expectant.

Insoo’s wing turned to face the Commander more directly, each rider pulling their shoulders back stiffly. “Of course, sir,” Insoo started, bowing slightly as he started to relay what had transpired on their patrol.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know... not a lot of action going on this chapter. And yes, we skipped the previous sparring because the result was what mattered. Don't worry. We'll have a chance to see more contact in upcoming chapters. heh ;) But I am starting to warm up to the direction I've decided to take the story in. It's a far cry from the first idea but this... feels better to and for me. XD I'm currently trying to finish up another story and then I hope to really be able to focus on this one better. I have been regrettably distracted and I am sorry for that. It's been frustrating for me too. T_T But wish me luck this weekend and I hope you enjoyed and are looking forward to the next update. Thank you! You guys are awesome. ^_^


	28. Settling In

After speaking with Commander Eric, the wing was free to go. However, because of the new additions and schedule changes, the first few days of returning were generally organized chaos. Insoo’s wing and the newcomers had some relative downtime to get sorted before they returned to the thick of things, and they all used it as best they could, but adjusting to new people, new dragons, and new environments wasn’t always easy. Around all of the chaos though, Taekwoon and Jinki carved out time to get reacquainted and bring each other up to speed on what they’d stumbled across during their days apart. It was still challenging though, especially with Jinki still being busy as Satoru’s right hand man. Taekwoon found it a bit odd that Yongguk was still in Kokoshir with the King, but explaining everything as it was wasn’t half as difficult as it might have been.

Jinki relayed what he could about the situation with the Aerie and especially what he’d discovered with the journal. Taekwoon was of course curious and though he had no better idea of what it meant, he was quite happy and proud of Jinki for having gotten into it. That also led to the discussion of the mural in front of Satoru’s office, but as they had nothing to go on yet, and Taekwoon had plenty to explain in turn, they set it aside for the time being.

As Taekwoon had expected, Jinki was similarly fascinated by what had happened when he was gone. From meeting Chaerin and her group to finding the old aerie and the runes within… it was all quite incredible. He was particularly enthralled with the sparring matches but rightfully irritated with the mentioned Jungsu and automatically slightly distrustful of the rest of the riders.

“I thought you liked Chaerin,” Taekwoon teased after he finished relaying his tale.

“I did,” Jinki frowned slightly, glaring at his other half. “But that was before her… second in command tried to kill, or at least hurt, Insoo.”

The response made Taekwoon chuckle and he kissed the side of Jinki’s head. “Jonghyun didn’t like Jungsu either. And we’re still not sure about Chaerin, but for now… she’s… alright,” he hedged. No, he didn’t trust her, but she treated her riders well, was rightfully protective of her dragon, and had otherwise proven to be a decent leader overall. More or less.

“If you say so,” Jinki shrugged, melting under the welcome attention. “But I still think we’ll keep even more of an eye on them. Granted, Satoru has been having a field day getting them settled in. I swear. He was born for this kind of thing,” he laughed, shaking his head.

“Yeah?” Taekwoon prompted, settling in to listen more attentively with a half-smile pulling at his lips.

“He won’t show the stress or the worry that comes of adding seven riders and seven new dragons at one time. The logistics are a temporary nightmare, especially with winter coming in, but he was potentially ready for this likelihood. And he’s in his element organizing and delegating and making sure that everyone has what they need, and that anything they might immediately want is available,” Jinki laughed, snuggling closer to Taekwoon. “I don’t know that I’d ever be able to live up to his one man army ability,” he admitted, head resting against the rider’s chest so that he could probably hear the beating heart within.

Taekwoon glanced down with a fond smile and placed warm lips against the top of his head. “I’m sure you’d figure it out,” he promised, voice full of confidence.

Jinki laughed once and nodded slightly. “I would certainly try. But fortunately, I won’t have to. At least not anytime soon. That’s what Yongguk is for. And should he retire, _maybe_ then I’ll have to do something. In the meantime, I’m just support and encouragement,” he explained, arms tightening around Taekwoon’s waist.

“You’re not ‘just’ anything, my heart,” Taekwoon reminded him pointedly, firming his hold around the other man.

“Thank you,” Jinki sighed, exhaling into the embrace further, obviously relaxed and at ease. For Taekwoon, no thanks were needed. This alone was enough, and he cherished it. Bahamut knew they wouldn’t have much of it in the near future.

And Taekwoon was right about that. Even with the downtime, there was still plenty to do and help to get the Aerie ready for the long, cold winter months. With two wings back in residence, some of Insoo’s wing were quickly scheduled to make last moment runs to Miremaw for supplies and errands. And despite their new status, even some of Chaerin’s group were ‘encouraged’ to volunteer for quick patrol runs around the Aerie. Of course they were paired with veteran riders, but it was certainly an eventful first sevenday.

That said nothing of getting checked over by Healer Mimi, including Insoo who kept trying to downplay his injury. Fortunately, it was nothing too serious, if a nasty wound all the same. As such, Insoo was forbidden from extensive combat and any heavy human work until the stitches Mimi gave him had a chance to help close the wound. The dragons also had to check in with Healer Hyesung, including the new ones, despite their riders’ assurances they were fine. All the returning riders had to touch base with Master Leatherworker Minsoo and, given the nature of the ongoing and increasing conflict, all weapons had to be inspected by Master Blacksmith Baekho. Then there were sessions with Combat Master Seunghyun to see where any deficiencies were and to determine the newcomer proficiencies…

And for Taekwoon, all of the madness left very little time for actively getting back into library adventures with Jinki. In the first sevenday, both were exhausted enough that they agreed to simply get food, clean up, and then sleep, generally in that order. Sometimes, they could squeeze Jonghyun and Jongup in for short conversations and Jinki helped when he could with general care and maintenance of the dragons and their gear, but he was often busy with Satoru and Aerie Master duties too. And per his position, part of his role was getting to know the newcomers, which pulled his attention away from Taekwoon, even when they were in shared company. It was frustrating.

But if it was frustrating for Taekwoon, it was doubly so for Chaerin and her group. Not unlike during their first meeting, the rest of the Aerie took a little warming up to Chaerin’s group as well. Of course the new riders and their dragons were given quarters and caves to settle in, as well as guides to help them around when needed, or at least points of contact given the lack of numbers present. And they were also welcome to use the dining hall and baths and whatever other amenities the Aerie had to offer. But they were a little awkward about integrating with a larger group.

During meals, they often hovered closer to Insoo’s wing or simply remained by themselves, observing and listening to catch what whispers and snippets of conversation they could. That was expected enough for the first couple days, and it wasn’t until they started joining at least some of the classes that the guardedness began to crumble. Bit by bit, the newcomers felt more comfortable with separating from their initial core group and actually becoming a part of the Aerie.

Taekwoon spent a fair bit of time watching over them all, but especially Chaerin still. He’d spoken with Gain about her, feeling that something was still off, and to his credit, she agreed, but neither could pinpoint what.

“Fei is more than protective of her rider,” the regal gold explained in Trance, lounging comfortably in her human guise. “She carries fear and anger both but her main concern is protecting Chaerin.” Apparently, the two golds had spoken one on one on at least one occasion. It was enough for the experienced Paramour to get a feel of the younger gold, if nothing else.

“And your thoughts on Chaerin?” Taekwoon asked, glad that someone else was at least relatively on his side. Even if they didn’t know all the details or have anything stronger to go on than gut feelings and intuition.

“I admit… I am not sure,” Gain responded, tilting her head to the side in a very draconic gesture. “She smells familiar and it bothers me that I cannot place it,” she added with a frustrated glower. Taekwoon had half expected her to pout, but this was no playful matter.

“I know she’s hiding something,” Taekwoon admitted slowly, knowing it was probably a foolish admission as he had no solid proof for it. But he felt it and he was done ignoring those feelings.

“Oh undoubtedly,” the gold agreed with a wave of her hand and a nod of her head. “As most are,” she continued, stymying his immediate elation at her agreement. “But _what_ she is hiding is of the greater concern. Will it prove dangerous to the Aerie, to her, or to something else? For now, we must continue watching and seeing where the scales tilt.”

Taekwoon sighed and nodded his head reluctantly. He knew that much at least. “I understand,” he admitted with a tight sigh. “Have you noticed anything else?”

Gain was quiet for a moment as she mulled the question over, golden eyes narrowed and one finger tapping against her chin. “Actually…” she hummed, biting her bottom lip. “Ryeowook has been seen investigating parts of the Aerie with great interest,” she explained, brows raised.

“Oh?” he blinked, surprised by that fact and that she knew his name already. Granted, he shouldn’t have been about the latter – the Paramour was known for learning faces quickly.

“And some of what he’s found has been making the others ask some interesting questions,” she mused, finger still tapping her chin. Taekwoon was quite interested in her words but his expression begged the question of how she knew about what the riders were saying. She laughed at his look and sat up in delight. “You should know that, with only some exceptions, dragons are very good gossips.”

“But I thought they didn’t trust us?” he asked with a confused frown.

“The humans and riders, no,” she confirmed with a light giggle. “But dragons are easier to read. We share similar thoughts and Trance, when we share thoughts, leaves few places to hide. After all, your own dragon is better at reading their dragons as opposed to their riders,” she reminded him with a gesture of her hand. “No,” she shook her head and smiled lightly. “I am more concerned about…” she started to say before her gaze darkened and she trailed off.

“What?” Taekwoon prompted, frowning that she had anything to be concerned about. More so that she stopped herself from fully elaborating.

Her expression changed in the blink of an eye and she smiled, waving her hand in front of her face dismissively as if nothing had happened. “It’s nothing. At least nothing you need to worry about. And as you’ve already seen these past sevendays, there are plenty of things to make one worry,” she reminded him, nodding towards the outside world vaguely.

While that was true, Taekwoon didn’t buy it. She had stopped herself from talking about something specific and he wanted to know why, but pressing her would never get him the answer he desired. At best, he’d just annoy her. At worst, she’d kick him out of Trance rather painfully. Instead, he simply nodded and agreed, “You are right about that.”

It was clear at that point their conversation was over so Taekwoon made his farewells and retreated from her room, leaving the dragon-heated warmth for the cold of the outside rather begrudgingly. No matter how many winters he lived through, the shock of it never got any better. Fortunately, Jinki felt similarly so their shared room was almost always warmed with a small covered brazier and heated stones for the bed. At least when they were there. Walking in the windy cold, he very much wished he was in the warmth of their room right now, but his thoughts were busy, even if he himself was not.

Like Gain said, Chaerin and her group had been here for a couple sevendays now. They’d settled in well enough and were learning what they could at admirable rates. It would take them time to reach the level of combat readiness the Battalion riders were at, and some like Ryeowook would likely never get there, but they tried quite hard. Training outdoors with the dragons was very hit and miss as the weather had certainly taken a turn for the colder, not unusual this time of the year, but it made flying drills difficult. Though they had gear to keep them secured in their harnesses, it was dangerous anyway if the riders couldn’t feel their hands or if their faces and extremities got too cold. Healer Mimi had been fairly busy treating at least mild cases of cold sickness, but mostly it was nothing too serious.

Flying was scheduled for the middle of the day and only on sunny days (mostly). Otherwise, there were plenty of ground combat drills they could practice. And when they weren’t occupied with other activities, he and the rest of Insoo’s wing were busy pushing Chaerin and her group with more and more conditioning. Without fail, they seemed particularly driven to do what they could. He couldn’t fault them there. Though the news of what at least Ryeowook had been doing in his off time made Taekwoon curious. It was significant that Gain hadn’t told him what questions he’d been asking or what he’d particularly been looking at. She was obviously expecting him to do some legwork.

“Alright then,” he nodded to himself, scanning the Aerie common area briefly as he made his way towards the dining hall. Close to dark, no one much stayed outside so the stalls in the courtyard were quiet and empty. Only a couple dragons could be seen in the open and there were even fewer people obviously out and about. They hadn’t quite gotten into the heart of winter yet, but being in the mountains and it being near nightfall, no one wanted to be outside if they could help it.

Taekwoon found that most of the Aerie was clustering in the dining hall, where the heat from the kitchens could seep through the carved stone wall and provide some relief. Not surprisingly, there was a surplus of people lingering closer to the left side of the room as opposed to the right. Most lessons were finished and even the Masters had taken to regularly joining everyone so they could partake of the shared body heat if nothing else.

He didn’t see Jinki immediately, but that wasn’t surprising for the Aerie Master in Training. Though most people got less busy in the winter, it seemed as if the Aerie heads did not. They were busy with logistics and supplies and keeping communication lines open and still trying to maintain the business of being impartial bodies that defended and protected those outside the Aerie when needed. Interestingly though, he did see Junsu present with the Masters. The Priest had been hiding away for the first several days he’d been here, and though Taekwoon had been glad to see him, it had hurt to match the diminished man that he was now to the vibrant priest he’d once been. Few knew all the details but it was enough that he was here for now. Even if his presence was mostly shrouded in mystery.

Like usual, Taekwoon briefly touched base with his non-rider friends, glad they were all otherwise present, and then moved to join his wing. The number of riders inside the Aerie was almost gut-wrenchingly small. As they’d only recently returned and were charged with helping train the newest additions, they hadn’t been assigned any challenging tasks or runs beyond the quick Miremaw runs. Yet. Other dragonriders had not been so lucky. Most had been ordered to take turns making quick runs to nearby sister cities or to pass by the northern edge of Kinshire to make sure there were no encroaching enemy dragons making use of the winter moons. Even Captain Yunho had taken to making more frequent patrols in the surrounding areas to help fill in. And Dragon Master Dongwan just looked tired.

“Have a good chat?” Wonshik asked as Taekwoon moved to take a seat, grinning from ear to ear mischievously, his tone implying more than talking had happened.

“As usual,” Taekwoon nodded, refusing to take the bait, but smiling just a touch.

“Ugh. You’re no fun,” he lamented almost comically, looking around the table to try and gain some support.

The riders in Insoo’s wing chuckled and just shook their heads, though Insoo himself did muse, “It is interesting that, though you visit the Paramours fairly often, you do not use their services at all.”

Taekwoon’s slight eye roll was answer enough to how he felt about that statement. Fortunately, he had an ally of sorts in Taeyeon, who pointed at the Wing Leader and countered, “If you had a mate, you wouldn’t need to use their services either.”

Insoo had the grace to cough as if clearing his throat, his ears tinging pink. That of course prompted the others to laugh at his response and Jinyoung reached over to pat him on the back in a pseudo pitying gesture. “Yes, well,” he forced out, voice sounding gruff and tight. “It’s not as if we can just look under a rock and find a mate anywhere,” he added, hands gesturing in the air while he looked down, clearly embarrassed.

“Maybe you’re just not looking in the right places.” Taeyeon’s response made him flush even harder. It didn’t help that his wing – Taekwoon excluded – added a chorus of ‘Ooos’ to that comment.

He didn’t laugh, but Taekwoon did crack a smile. It was nice they were maybe finally taking steps in the direction they’d obviously been sort of heading in recently. After the sparring bouts, Taeyeon had fallen into a slump of sorts and Insoo had been helping her work through it. The rest of his wing had been gossiping about something happening eventually, and making bets on it. It looked like something might finally happen. But even as their attention shifted away and things started to die down to a more normal setting, Taekwoon felt like someone was looking at them. Curious, he blinked and did a quick scan of the room, looking without making it obvious he was doing so. He wasn’t entirely surprised to see that Chaerin and some of her riders were the likely culprits. Commander Eric was checking on them periodically and they often got sidelong looks from the other Aerie residents when they got loud, but all things considered, he figured it was Chaerin and company.

Which was why he was ready when she ventured the beginning of a question. “Actually, speaking of mates…” Chaerin started, leaning their direction with her hand partially raised and her expression slightly troubled.

Immediately, Insoo’s wing quieted, giving her their complete attention. By her reaction, the shift very nearly made her not ask. “Actually what?” Insoo prompted, leaning forward with his arms loosely crossed on the table as he encouraged her to continue.

Chaerin glanced specifically at Ryeowook, who nodded subtly, and then took a breath to continue. “We’ve been talking and we were wondering… where are the children?” she finished, chewing on the inside of her bottom lip. A look around with a furrowed brow followed the inquiry and the riders instinctively followed her lead. At the very front of the room, near the Master’s table, there was a small group of younger Aerie residents, all of whom would be considered children.

Hesitantly, Insoo gestured towards them. “They’re up there, near the Masters.”

Even as a couple in the wing were trying not to laugh at the obvious answer, Chaerin waved her hand dismissively and frowned. “I mean the babies,” she clarified more forcefully. “Or at least Aerie resident children. Those are orphans or tributes or promised children,” she went on, obviously troubled by this.

While the others expressed brief confusion over the question, mulling it over in their minds and searching for an answer, Taekwoon felt as if the rug had been pulled out from beneath him. More accurately, it felt like something inside, that he hadn’t even known was there, broke. It left him feeling detached but it also gave him the immediate answer… there were none.

“I know that the… Symbiosis,” she flailed, struggling to find the name, “supposedly makes your infertile, but what about the residents?” Clearly she’d been doing her homework or at least learning about the dragons and riders from the Masters in the Aerie.

Taekwoon was confused enough that Jonghyun chose to check in. _Okay?_

Still floundering, he answered, _Yes. Maybe._ But that didn’t quite encompass the whole of his feelings and he couldn’t help but add, _There really are no babies in the Aerie, are there?_

Jonghyun’s confusion was palpable, but it gave way to the same sense of discomfort that Taekwoon was grappling with. _No… and old aerie did,_ he added, thinking hard about what that might mean.

Taekwoon would have continued the conversation but he focused in on Chaerin’s running thoughts. “At first, we thought they might have just been in a separate area. Somewhere isolated to keep them safe and let them grow out of harm’s way but… at this point, it just looks like there are none.”

“Huh,” Insoo murmured, a frown of real confusion on his face. It was mirrored by the rest of the wing as well, pinched faces mulling over something that didn’t make sense. But even as they turned it over, it felt as if something subtle and unseen crept back in, tugging at the thoughts doggedly. “Well, a good number of us are riders and we can’t sire children and many in the Aerie use the services of the Paramours, all of whom take care _not_ to sire children.”

“And I seem to remember hearing about someone having a baby, but I don’t remember who,” Jinyoung added, expression drawn as if he was struggling to remember a name or a face.

“Given the recent times, it makes sense that there are none right now,” Taeyeon volunteered, working at her bottom lip with her teeth. “I mean, with the situation beyond the Aerie, who would want to have children if a fight is coming?” Her words said one thing but her body language and her tone seemed to show she wasn’t convinced.

“I understand the riders but what about the rest of the Aerie residents? The ones who aren’t bonded to a rider or use the Paramour services?” Chaerin asked more pointedly, sending a glance at two pairs that were sitting in relative proximity to each other: Sunny and Seunghyun and Amber and Kibum. Both had tried to keep their relationships under wraps and though there was never any obvious, public interactions, the connections, and pairings, were undeniable.

Wooyoung grimaced and shook his head. “It’s probably a sympathetic response, you know?” Chaerin and her group frowned at the preposterousness of the very idea. “I mean, they’re all in close proximity to the dragons and the riders. It’s not impossible that there’s some sort of effect on them,” he shrugged, defending himself as best he could but to Taekwoon, it seemed as if he was grasping at straws.

“It’s probably because a number of factors,” Insoo nodded sagely, glancing around at his wing as if they’d contributed something strong and supportive.

“But the other aerie likely had children. And dragon hatchlings,” Chaerin pressed, all the more confused for their lack of acceptance of what she saw.

“We don’t actually know about the children and the hatchlings is something that changed with the Symbiosis process. That was all before the Dragon Wars, you know,” Jinyoung offered quickly, hands gesturing as if to prove his point.

Chaerin looked at Ryeowook and the rest of her group. They all seemed just as confused as her. To be fair, Taekwoon was too… But it was a semi familiar sensation. He’d experienced something like it when he was reading the books he and Jinki were trying to unravel. The fact that he felt it now made him wonder if they were somehow connected. Perhaps the magic book could tell him something about this?

And even as the others were already willing to let the thought slip from their mind, reverting to more comfortable and familiar things, Taekwoon was still puzzling it out. Glancing up, he noticed Chaerin watching him, a searching stare on her face. He blinked in surprise and her expression firmed into… something showing certainty. She knew, or at least recognized, that he was different. That he didn’t feel the way his wing did. Her attention shifted from him to Ryeowook and was followed by a slight nod. She didn’t look at him again, but Taekwoon knew this was far from over. And really… it was kind of nice knowing that he wasn’t the only one that felt things were strangely amiss. Jinki felt it in moments, but the effect was rarely sustained. The fact that Chaerin and company had apparently been asking around and doing their own research seemed to show they weren’t under whatever’s influence was here… At least not strongly.

_Mate thinks strange too,_ Jonghyun added unexpectedly, surprising Taekwoon.

_Other dragons?_ Taekwoon wondered, purposefully looking down so as to not stare in Chaerin’s direction.

_Unsure. Will ask,_ his dragon answered, letting the connection drop for now.

It was troubling, for sure. And he had to wonder about the areas that Ryeowook had been investigating as to prompt such questions. His expression turned thoughtful as he came across another idea, one that didn’t sit with him too well but might be worth following up on. Ryeowook could read runes. Or at least recognize what they meant. The magic book… had many runes in it. Maybe…?

He was snapped out of his ruminations when Jinki appeared in a whirlwind of fidgety energy. “Ugh!” he exhaled, plopping down beside Taekwoon with all the awareness of a self-focused child. It was an unusual response but when he was wound up from Aerie business, it happened sometimes. “Sorry I’m late,” he apologized, shaking his head and glancing around the group to mutely greet the other members of the present wing.

Surprised and caught briefly off guard, Taekwoon forced a smile and shook his head, “It’s alright. I figured you were busy.” That was true enough and an easy answer.

“Quite,” Jinki answered, belatedly becoming aware of a strange lingering energy. He glanced around the group with a slightly perplexed look and tilted his head. “What did I miss?”

Ordinarily, Taekwoon would have tried to distract him but… he was curious. With one hand, he subtly motioned at Chaerin to hold her tongue and instead offered Jinki the current quandary. “We were just commenting about how it’s strange that there are no Aerie children here,” he explained, watching Jinki’s features closely.

For his part, Jinki hit the same mental wall Taekwoon did, grappled for an acceptable response, and, though it took longer, he fell into the same explanatory pattern that the other riders did. In a supportive loop, they ended up echoing each other and confirming that there was in fact a justifiable explanation for it.

_Strange…_ Jonghyun muttered, listening into the conversation.

_Agreed,_ Taekwoon echoed in response. _Chaerin and company do not agree,_ he added, feeling her gaze upon him once more.

_Interesting,_ his dragon hummed, clearly wary about the situation.

_Very._ Taekwoon let his gaze drift towards the other rider, meeting her gaze briefly. She was still confused but her expression was suspicious now. Of the wing’s response or his, he wasn’t sure, but he did know that he should definitely have a talk with them later… He didn’t want to because it was still Chaerin and he still didn’t trust her, but she was apparently different like he himself was. That was reason enough, no matter his suspicion.

“You okay?” Jinki asked, noticing his distraction and leaning close to follow his gaze.

“Huh?” Taekwoon chirped, flinching at the unexpected intrusion. “Yes,” he blurted next, answering the question by rote.

“Something I should know about?” he wondered, glancing uncertainly at Chaerin and company. It was impossible not to hear the note of caution in the question.

“Maybe,” Taekwoon reassured, placing a hand on Jinki’s thigh and giving it a light squeeze. “Later,” he promised with a smile as he turned his full attention on his other half. Seeking to divert the conversation, he asked, “And why were you late?”

Mild suspicion warred with guilt and the latter won quickly. Jinki sighed and rolled his eyes. “Supplies…” he groaned, leaning his head against Taekwoon’s shoulder. “Well, numbers, more to the point, but yeah,” he nodded, forcing a laugh he obviously didn’t feel. “And… you know,” he added, sitting up and shrugging helplessly. It was an obvious hint about what he could and couldn’t say.

“Ah,” the dragonrider nodded in understanding. “I see,” he smiled, looking to the table for something he could immediately put in front of his other half. He spied a plate of leftover carved beef with a smattering of vegetables and snagged the whole thing so he could lay it in front of both of them.

“Thank you,” he grinned, reaching for a piece of seasoned meat immediately.

“Of course,” Taekwoon grinned, watching his other half begin to eat heartily with pleasure. He took a piece, just to keep Jinki from making the suggestion first, and cast a significant look at Chaerin. She was still looking at him furtively, obviously trying to catch him unawares or figure something out. He simply gave her a subtle shake of his head and gestured again with his finger. They would speak again for sure, but later. Not here.

She took a small breath, obviously confused and at least a little frustrated, but then nodded once. And then she actually flinched in surprise when Jungkook leaned forward to try and capture her attention again. Falling easily into the roll of companion dragonrider, she pulled away from Taekwoon’s attention and focused on the other rider, listening to his question, or whatever he was talking about.

“So,” Jinki interrupted Taekwoon’s thoughts. “Did you want to try and make a library run tonight? I’ve got some time and if you’re free, we can see what we can find,” he smiled, nudging the other man lightly with his elbow.

Taekwoon was tired and his thoughts were full of the quandary Chaerin had proposed, but given their lack of ability to investigate recently… “Yes,” he agreed with a quick smile. “It would be nice to see what else we can find,” he added, reaching out to take another piece of meat as well, chewing on it thoughtfully.

“Good,” Jinki grinned, mostly oblivious to Taekwoon’s inner thoughts, though he did cast a curious look up at him a time or two. He wasn’t completely oblivious after all, even with whatever was messing with his ability to focus on certain topics.

He didn’t know why he was at least somewhat immune to whatever that was, but Taekwoon was proud of his other half for being able to focus as much as he was. Given his wing’s reaction, it was significant indeed. Even more so because of Chaerin and her group’s reaction as well. Yep… as much as he didn’t like it, a conversation with her and her group was definitely something he was going to have to do.


	29. Dragon Runes

Two days later, Taekwoon found himself alone in the library in the middle of the night, unable to sleep and chased by maddening thoughts that denied him peace. He and Jinki had made more progress in the books they’d started reading, though neither made them feel particularly good. Taekwoon had officially reached the end of his tome, stopping shortly after a power shift in the ruling class. There was still a King present but the Dragon Priests had elevated themselves to a higher standing due to their binding of the dragon gods and subsequent consecrating of the new Aeries. He was most troubled by the final line in the book:

_May the blood of Bahamut and Tiamat forever maintain the peace and prosperity of the Aeries._

Jinki had been too, but then he’d shown Taekwoon the entry he had read and since the two seemed connected, it was beginning to look as if the dragon gods both had been bound as opposed to Bahamut ascending and Tiamat remaining. What was worse, Jinki also struggled through another entry near the end of his book that caught his eye and it had sent a trill of foreboding through Taekwoon as a result. It was a couple entries after Landris had moved to the new Aerie. He didn’t make entries every day or even every sevenday, but obviously when he felt inclined or something of note moved him to.

_Dragon Peace 2, 6 th moon, 11th day_

_Something is not right. I do not know what but I feel that something is amiss. Peace has been good for all our people, so I cannot complain about that. Though it is still strange being so close to Mauthab. Power infuses the Aerie and I thought it would help the dragons thrive. It has been over a year now and it has not. The protections writ in place are obviously working in some ways, as we do not get sick or suffer major injuries within the Aerie but something is missing. And few others than myself seem to realize it. There is life aplenty but there is little new life. Only a handful of new riders in the Aerie from but two small clutches a few moons ago. Every sevenday, there are more people and children coming to learn and to live but we cannot make riders of them without new dragons. The wild ones that are left won’t suffer a man or woman and it wouldn’t be right to steal their eggs for ourselves. Something is wrong._

_Though it should comfort me that Sighe should arrive soon, it does not. My distrust remains, despite what he has done for us. But… in our last exchange of missives, he promised answers on his next visit. I do not like that he would give no details about what his answers might be, but I can only hope they will set us on the right path. May Mauthab continue to light our way._

_AM Landris_

On a hunch, Taekwoon had urged Jinki to look to the next few pages, just to see, but there was nothing. Just blank pages. It was as if he’d forgotten to write or had simply stopped writing, which didn’t make much sense. There should have been more. They were in Dragon Peace 573 now so a great deal of time had passed since then, but… Taekwoon wasn’t sure he believed what was in the Aerie anymore. It was a deeply unsettling idea.

So here he was. Acting like a thief in the night and staring at the cover of the magic book neither he nor Jinki had attempted to decipher. There was nothing else to try and puzzle out and he had little belief that he could read it himself. However, having seen the runes at the previous aerie, he wanted to at least check something first. Then… then maybe he would ask Chaerin and Ryeowook. Bahamut knew they had been troublesome for the past couple days. Determined to get him alone so that they could try and ask him about what was going on. And he was just as determined not to be cornered until he had more to go on.

Swallowing hard, he closed his eyes and took a breath before cracking open the cover of the magic book. As usual, the writing blurred before him and he quickly developed a headache. Frustrated but focused, he ignored both and allowed his dragon half to rise into his consciousness, using the instinctual side to help guide him. For whatever reason, it worked, and as he felt the shift in his eyes, the words became clearer. It was still difficult reading, but he could at least make them out now.

“Introduction to magics and all magical runes,” he murmured, scanning the first page. “Sections include general magics, magics relevant to Aeries and dragons, priesthood runes and magics, as well as others that do not fall under such categories. Strange,” he hummed with a frown. While all of it was potentially interesting, his concern right now was the section dealing with magics for the Aerie and dragons.

For a moment, he was briefly distracted when he felt a questioning touch from Jonghyun. Sleepy, but obviously now awake, the thread of thought came through, _What?_

_Research,_ Taekwoon answered honestly, looking up with the hint of a smile on his face. _Did not mean to wake you._

_Didn’t,_ his dragon responded easily, apparently puzzling something else out. _Chaerin came to speak to dragon. Unusual._

_Oh?_ Taekwoon wondered curiously. _Where did she go next?_

_Training hall._

That made Taekwoon pause. Why was… really? He exhaled slowly and rolled his eyes as he closed the book and carefully made his way to the middle of the library, using the very dim lighting from the covered candle in the back room to do so. It didn’t hurt that his shifted vision also let him see just a little bit better. He was going to have to remember that for the future. Especially since the hair on the back of his neck stood up as if he could sense something he couldn’t quite see yet. Moving closer to the doorway, he strained to hear something. The only response he got was actually noticing the door opening with the tiniest of sounds. Taekwoon froze and waited to see if it was going to be who he thought it was.

A couple heartbeats later… yep. Chaerin. By the direction of her gaze, she’d apparently noticed the light in the back. With a quick glance to either side, one that passed right over Taekwoon, she crept into the room and eased towards the back room. He didn’t expect her to call out and he wasn’t surprised when she didn’t, but he was suspicious all the same. Not unlike a predator, he rolled his shoulders and started to track her silently.

_Trouble?_ his dragon asked with distracted interest.

_Unsure,_ he responded. He honestly didn’t know yet. _I’ll let you know._

_Good,_ was the immediate response, the mental connection quickly subsiding into a sleepy barely there thread.

Shadowing Chaerin, Taekwoon watched as she found the back room and looked around carefully. She knew someone had been here and that they couldn’t have gone far. No one in their right mind would just leave a candle, no matter how well covered, unattended in a library. Her head twisted from side to side and he could see the muscles in her jaw tightening. “Taekwoon?” she called out softly, hesitant and maybe a little frightened.

“What are you doing here?” Taekwoon asked as he stealthily stepped into the dim light that would let her see him.

She turned to follow the sound of his voice and then jerked with a small gasp, hands rising in front of her chest in loose fists. By the wide eyed stare, he could tell that something was different about him. “Your eyes…” she whispered, the sound not frightened as much as thoughtful. It was more like she was suddenly making some connections she’d been missing previously.

“Like yours, I’d imagine,” he murmured flatly, recalling that moment in the moonlight when they’d last been in the old aerie.

There was the briefest hints of surprise in her face, a slight flinch of her brows and a minute grimace, before she laughed once and waved it off. “What do you mean?” she asked innocently enough, a hint of confusion on her face.

Taekwoon didn’t buy it, but it was also not his greatest concern at the moment. “I’ll ask you again. What are you doing here?”

Her confusion fell away just as quickly as it had appeared. “Looking for you,” she stated simply, pulling her shoulders back as she stopped pretending. “We need to talk,” she told him again, the situation all too familiar.

“We do,” Taekwoon nodded, not moving yet. “But I am certainly not all that inclined to talk when you decide to track me down in the middle of the night.”

Chaerin grimaced and nodded once at that fact. “I hadn’t meant to. Fei saw you up and awake. She woke me.”

“Why?” he asked quickly, studying the flinch he saw in response.

“You are…” she trailed off, looking down as she searched for the right word. But it never came to her and she gave up on the effort, switching to a different thought as she looked up at him again. “Different.” Taekwoon said nothing in response and she pursed her lips on his silence. “You… see more than the others,” she started to speak, feeling her way carefully. “When I asked about the children, everyone was surprised but it passed quickly. They forgot about it almost as soon as the thought was allowed to leave. But not you,” she mused, eyes narrowing thoughtfully.

“And?” he prompted when she stopped. He still felt no strong bond towards her, despite the fact they had been working together as sister wings most recently.

“What is going on in the Aerie?” she asked after a long pause. “You know that something is off. I saw it in your eyes. And I am starting to suspect that is why you are here now.”

Taekwoon held very still for a moment, weighing his options. Whatever else he felt, it was true that most people seemed to be under some sort of spell when it came to certain things in the Aerie. The fact that she wasn’t, as near as he could tell, made him both hopeful and suspicious. He chewed the inside of his bottom lip and then reached out to his dragon. _Jong. You listening?_

_Huh? Oh. Yes,_ came the briefly confused reply.

“Three questions first,” he stated simply, holding up three fingers.

Chaerin blinked at him in confusion but then nodded her head slowly. “Okay…”

“Have you ever been to Tiamat’s Aerie?” he asked plainly.

She jerked as if struck, true surprise on her face. “No.”

One finger folded down and he asked his second question, “Are you here to hurt the Aerie?”

Again, what felt like true confusion appeared on her face. “No!”

Another finger folded and he looked at her with the last one remaining. “Are you here to hurt me?”

This time, there was no confusion, but something else. Her face crumpled slightly as if from guilt or pain, but her answer did not change. “No…” she trailed off quietly, eyes drifting down to a point next to him.

Taekwoon regarded her for a long moment and reached out to his dragon. _Thoughts?_

_Truth,_ Jonghyun responded.

_Are you sure?_

_About not wanting to hurt you, yes. Others too,_ he added almost as an afterthought.

He mulled that response over for a moment, recalling how Chaerin had mentioned that Fei didn’t know what to think about him. He had thought it strange at the time and he still did, but he was beginning to get some ideas. Maybe she wasn’t here to hurt him, but he was starting to feel as if she was here because of him. At least in part… Frustrated and without any definite answers, Taekwoon exhaled. “I don’t know.”

“Huh?” Chaerin chirped in confusion, eyes narrowed.

Taekwoon scratched the side of his face with his finger and said again, “I don’t know. What’s going on in the Aerie. I don’t know.”

“But you have an idea?” she prompted, glancing over her shoulder at the back room where the light was still burning.

“Maybe,” he admitted quietly, frowning at giving up the answer.

“Tell me,” she urged, taking a half step towards him that made him step back to keep the distance between them the same. She stopped with a chagrined look and added, “Please.”

He knew it was going to sound crazy. It still did to him and he had more reason than most to start thinking it was a real possibility. “Magic,” he shrugged, hands rising on either side of him in a quiet shrug.

To her credit, Chaerin didn’t laugh or snort. She simply looked thoughtful. “Ryeowook mentioned he’d found some runes etched around the Aerie.”

“Eh?” Taekwoon chirped, caught off guard by that admission.

She shook her head and explained, “They’re not in obvious places. Nor are they particularly noticeable. He thought he knew what they were but he wasn’t sure. Some yes. Protection. Health. Luck. But a few others…” she trailed off with a grimace.

Gain had said something about Ryeowook studying certain areas of the Aerie. Runes might well have been what he was noticing. ‘Bahamut help me,’ he thought before he took a breath and opened his mouth to speak. “Do you remember what they looked like?” he asked, licking his lips once.

“I think so,” Chaerin answered with a curiously uncertain look on her face. “Why?”

“If I’m right, there’s a book in there that will have them recorded in the pages,” he explained, nodding towards the back room. Chaerin’s brows rose and she blinked twice. “It’s the last book I have to puzzle out. I needed to see it,” he added, indirectly giving away why he was here now.

“Can I see?” she asked hesitantly, looking over her shoulder with an aching curiosity.

“Yes,” he grumbled begrudgingly, moving to step around her so that he could claim the first spot by the book. He could almost feel her amusement at the shift, but she didn’t say anything about it. “Here,” he mumbled, carefully flipping to the section on runes for the Aerie. He inhaled slightly though when he saw the first rune and… could read it. Or at least could understand what it meant. The word didn’t become a word so much as a feeling or a knowing. It was familiar, yes, but it was also something he just knew.

“Oh. That one is protection,” Chaerin commented, pointing at the page. “We saw it in the other Aerie. And I’m pretty sure it’s the same symbol Ryeowook saw here too,” she added, completely missing Taekwoon’s personal revelation. He knew what it was. Her statement only confirmed it. “And that one’s health,” she smiled as he flipped through the first couple pages. Again, he knew it without really knowing it. Rest, fertility, increased healing, luck, vigor, sight, mental fortitude… the list went on.

Though Chaerin stopped speaking of them, Taekwoon knew what they were and it unnerved him. “These are all positive runes,” he mused, missing her surprised look when he stared at the pages. “It’s not… there’s something else…” he mumbled, chewing on his bottom lip as he looked back at the front and then quickly thumbed through the pages on his way to the back. He wasn’t really looking at the priest runes, but some jumped out at him. There were many blessing runes but he paused when he came across binding. “The Great Binding?” he whispered to himself. He took care not to linger too long as Chaerin’s eyes were on him, but he had to pause again when two pages later he came across control. Why would the priests need control? Or command?

“What?” Chaerin asked, obviously noticing his troubled look. “Do you know them?”

“No,” he shook his head, but then blinked and frowned. “I mean, I don’t know them but I know what they are,” he explained, very much confused.

“How?” she blurted, just as taken aback as him.

“I don’t know,” he admitted, feeling like that was becoming a running theme with him.

He was not prepared for Jonghyun to give him an answer. _It’s dragon._

“ _Dragon?_ ” he blurted out both vocally and mentally.

“Dragon?” Chaerin echoed the same time Jonghyun responded.

_Not words but symbols? Written form of dragon talking,_ he explained, almost as if he was just realizing it himself.

_You have a written form?_ Taekwoon marveled, wondering how that had been missed. Granted, the dragons hadn’t really been focusing in the old aerie where the most obvious runes were, but it was still strange that Jonghyun hadn’t known. Granted, it was strange that he did know as well…

_I… guess?_ he answered back, still very much confused himself.

When Taekwoon looked up, he saw that Chaerin was looking at him strangely again. “What?” he wondered, thinking maybe his eyes had changed again.

“Your dragon can see what you see?” she asked, tilting her head to the side.

His head jerked slightly in surprise and he frowned. “Yes…” _Have you always been able to see what I see?_ he quickly asked his dragon, unnerved by his easy acceptance of what Chaerin had just pointed out.

_No. Not always. Now, yes. Bond strong and familiar,_ he explained, making Taekwoon inhale sharply.

“Can you see what he sees?” Chaerin wondered, still perplexed.

Taekwoon shook his head. “No. I can’t even hear what he hears. I just get a feeling when he’s speaking.”

“Strange,” she murmured, thumbing at her bottom lip as she continued to stare at him.

“Agreed,” he exhaled breathily. _Can you always hear others?_

_Usually,_ Jonghyun replied quickly, picking up on his rider’s uneasiness. _You are more dragon than others._

The simple statement of fact, as if it was the answer to everything, made Taekwoon snort once. At least his dragon was mostly confident about their status. But it was just one more thing that set him apart and made him feel… different. Again. He was almost distracted enough not to hear what Chaerin was whispering to herself. Really, by her tone, she probably meant for him not to, but his skin tingled and his ears strained for the sound, almost like they were physically stretching to catch the whisper.

“…said you were different,” she trailed off, thumbnail pressed against her bottom lip as she stared at a point on the table.

“Who did?” Taekwoon asked, missing the first part but guessing well enough given the context.

Chaerin looked up at him in wide-eyed surprise, caught off guard by his question. It was proof enough she hadn’t meant for him to hear. But just as quickly, she forced her features to change and laughed once. “No one,” she assured him, crossing her arms over her chest and one hand holding too tight to her other arm.

“Chaerin,” he warned softly, not in a particularly charitable mood considering what they were here for.

She released the one hand and waved vaguely in the air, forcing another laugh that didn’t feel genuine. “You know. Everyone says you’re a little different,” she explained, not able to meet his eyes directly. “And I mean, this really does help prove it, don’t you think?” she added, gesturing at the small room they were in currently.

Almost belatedly, Taekwoon became very aware of the fact that they were much closer than he’d ever wanted her to be, but this time, it was her that was uncomfortable. Despite the fact that she had been trying to get close to him initially, even though she’d eased up in recent days, it was strange that now she was almost afraid. No… she was afraid. But it didn’t feel like the fear was directed at him. There was something else going on still. For a long moment, he glared at her with narrowed eyes. She fidgeted and looked in every direction but his, trying to make herself small.

_Rider,_ Jonghyun murmured into his thoughts after a time.

Taekwoon took a small breath as the suspicious thrall broke just enough. _You’re right,_ he murmured in response. She was still a puzzle to solve, but right now, his focus should be on the magic he came to figure out. Giving her one final look, he tore his eyes away and resumed his scan of the book. In his periphery, he could feel Chaerin starting to relax when he was no longer focused on her, but she did not speak and she did not move. She simply watched and waited.

For his part, Taekwoon let himself drift back into the runes, viewing each one as they came and went. When he reached the last section in the book, his gut started to twist at the feeling of the runes. The first were fine: weather, forecasting, far sight… But then he came across the one he knew he’d been searching for. His gut twisted and he frowned darkly. Turning the book towards Chaerin, he asked, “Is this one of the runes Ryeowook has seen?”

She flinched when he spoke to her, his voice unnecessarily harsh. “Maybe,” she answered after a brief pause. “I’m not sure,” she added with a small shake of her head. “What does it mean?” she asked, glancing at him uncertainly.

“Infertility,” he grumbled, setting the book back down as he heard her slight inhale.

“Do you think…?” she started to ask, not wishing to voice the rest of the question.

Yes, was his first reaction. No, was what he wanted to say. “It’s possible,” is what he settled on, letting the dread wash over and past him as he turned to the next page. Geas. Obedience. Weakness. Life… A strange chill washed over him though, even as he read the word. It felt wrong. Or at least not like a good feeling. Not like the healing rune had felt in the Aerie section. With a growl, Taekwoon pushed the book away and waved his dragon half off. It was too much right now. He needed some kind of separation from the feeling as much as the knowing. Almost immediately, he felt a little better, being just his human self, but it did not change what he’d read.

“Are you alright?” Chaerin asked softly, a gentle hand tentatively pressing against his shoulder.

He brushed her off quickly, and then forced himself to take a breath. It was too much and her presence set him ill at ease. Especially with her secrets. He believed Jonghyun in that she was not here to hurt him or the Aerie, but it was what he didn’t know that made him particularly irritable. “I’m fine,” he lied, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye before he took another breath and reached for the calm he’d found under Seunghyun’s training. “But I think we need to speak with Ryeowook.” And Jinki.

Chaerin licked her lips once but nodded in agreement. “Agreed.”

“On the morrow,” he added, staring at the book like it was something dangerous.

“Yes,” she whispered, obviously following his gaze.

He was glad she was able to tell they were done for the night. He was even more relieved when she left, giving him peace with his thoughts and his own misgivings. _Why are the runes dragon speech?_ he wondered to his dragon, not really expecting an answer.

_Don’t know_ , came the quiet reply.

Taekwoon sighed and let his shoulders slump. It was just one thing after another. More questions and things he couldn’t solve or immediately understand. He didn’t know who might have answers and he didn’t know specifically who to ask. Perhaps Jolin but she had a hard enough time focusing on the books when they were in her presence, much less the contents. Frowning, Taekwoon closed the book and pulled it closer to him, investigating the cover. Without Chaerin here to distract him, there was something else… Something about the book itself. His senses tingled and he felt his eyes drifting away, almost of their own accord.

Closing his eyes, he let his fingertips roam the cover slowly. They stopped when something else told him to, a feeling he couldn’t exactly place, though he suspected it had something to do with his dragon half. Opening his eyes, he stared down at where his fingers were and blinked once when he observed a rune becoming noticeable under his direct attention. Confused, he summoned his dragon half just so he could actually understand it. “Hidden,” he whispered, glaring at the marking. No wonder people had such a hard time focusing on the book. Or even remembering it. Someone had not wanted it to be easily found or read. He would wager the other books probably had something similar on them too.

All things considered though, he at least had found more than he thought he would. Certainly more than he wanted to. And yet, it was just a piece of an ever growing puzzle. One that he wasn’t so sure he could solve on his own. Or that he really wanted to, given what he’d discovered so far. Getting up slowly, he carefully put the books back and then wandered out of the room, taking the covered candle with him. As he was passing the threshold of the library, something made him look down. Since he hadn’t waved the dragon sight away yet, he honed in on a rune chiseled into the stone near the bottom of the doorway. Mental fortitude. That was good. Useful for studying, but in the other corner… Belief. Not a terrible rune on its own, but it made him question what he knew versus what he had read in the most recent tomes. Why would anyone need to be pushed to believe something?

“Ugh,” he growled under his breath as he waved the dragonsight away again. Apparently, the runes were more noticeable once you were aware of them. Or had a significant piece of a dragon’s spirit in you. Or were among Chaerin and her companions. Which begged the question of why they were unaffected. “Enough!” he grumbled, pressing forward and determined to return to his room without any further mishaps. Maybe once he’d spoken with Jinki, things would become clearer, but his thoughts were too full and jumbled right now.

Despite having found what he was looking for, sleep did not come easy for Taekwoon when he did return. Even Jinki’s sleeping presence wasn’t a strong enough balm to quiet his unrest, but he did manage a couple marks of shut eye before morning came all too soon. And then he was grumpy and still confused and busy with thoughts about the day. They were still set to practice and since the weather was supposed to be good, they were going to do some flying drills as well, which would put him in close proximity to Chaerin again.

“You okay?” Jinki asked, noticing his general grumpiness that morning with a pitying smile.

Taekwoon just sighed and leaned close, wrapping his arms around Jinki loosely. “I had an interesting night,” he admitted against the nearest shoulder.

“Oh?” his other half questioned, pulling the blanket around them a little tighter as they weren’t ready to move yet. “Dreams?”

“Couldn’t sleep,” he admitted with a shake of his head. “Went to the library and read the magic book,” he stated, turning over the revelations slowly in his mind.

“Read read or looked at?” Jinki asked for clarification, one brow raised.

“Read read,” he replied with a sigh.

Jinki’s thoughtful hum was answer enough. But he did add, “I guess you did have an interesting evening. Wanna talk about it?” he offered, reaching up to clasp the arm around his chest in both hands.

“Later. Chaerin was there too and she said Ryeowook has been seeing some runes around the Aerie,” he explained, hugging tighter.

“Well that is interesting,” he mused, biting on his bottom lip.

“Nothing happened, my heart,” he promised, brushing his nose against Jinki’s hair. “There are just a great many more questions.”

“I can imagine. So, are we going to do some legwork this afternoon?” he asked, turning to get a better look at Taekwoon’s face.

“Of course. We should be done a bit early today so we’ll have more time for Ryeowook to show us around. There are runes in the library though,” he added, recalling the markings he’d seen in the bottom of the doorway.

“You saw some already?” Clearly Jinki was surprised.

“When I use my dragon half, I can… see more,” he explained hesitantly, still not sure how it really worked or why. It just did.

“You get more interesting everyday, love,” he laughed lightly, turning just a bit more so they could rest their foreheads together. “Thank you for telling me though,” he whispered, fingers tightening on Taekwoon’s arm.

Taekwoon just smiled and raised his lips to press a gentle kiss against Jinki’s forehead. “Alright, my heart. We should probably get moving.” Jinki’s groan was everything Taekwoon felt about that too. “I know,” he laughed, grimacing as he pulled one leg out from under the blankets. It was chilly, even with the covered brazier, but that was also because it was probably dying, as per usual.

“Yeah, yeah,” Jinki laughed once, following Taekwoon’s example. “I’ll try to make sure I’m not too busy this afternoon. Satoru mentioned that Yongguk was supposed to be coming back soon, but I don’t know.”

“Trouble?” the rider asked as he reluctantly let go of Jinki and stood up.

“Hard to say. I know he’s alright but things have been… tense with the sister cities lately,” he admitted, chewing on the inside of his bottom lip this time.

Taekwoon grunted in acknowledgment but had no real comment to make. Like he’d thought the night before, it was just one thing after another. As he watched Jinki get ready while he himself dressed, he could only hope that they might get some answers this day. Bahamut help him, he was ready for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My apologies for the latest updates being so... slow in coming. I'm having a bit of trouble with forward progress between the action and future events I know I want to write and the setup and backstory events I need to lay out now for the rest of everything else to make sense. All the behind the scenes details setup is not my strong point in writing. I'm trying to get better but thank you for bearing with me in the mean time. ^_^ I hope you enjoyed this update and I'll try to do better about getting the next one out sooner. Thank you!


	30. Multiplying Concerns

Despite having a plan, marks passed by with agonizing slowness. Taekwoon was barely focused and he kept getting distracted by his thoughts during the morning meal. He had a couple makeup classes to attend in the training hall after that, but even though he enjoyed lessons with Minjun, and the odd Theology discussion with Sunny, neither were particularly successful in pulling his attention from what he’d stumbled over last night.

It was worse when he got around Chaerin and her companions, since he could see them watching him. By the looks, it was obvious she had spoken to Ryeowook at least but even she was on edge a bit more than usual around him. He suspected it had something to do with her having seen his eyes the night before. Or perhaps she had simply come to a different conclusion about him, since he was able to ‘read’ the runes and she couldn’t. Or could she? He knew he’d seen her eyes turn silver and Jonghyun had said she smelled more like a dragon than most so… had she simply been acting around him? It was possible, but he didn’t know how likely it was. Maybe that was the secret she was hiding. Or maybe-

Alarm flared as he sensed rather than saw an attack aiming for him. Taekwoon dropped out of the way, practically collapsing to escape the strike. But it left him at a disadvantage. He desperately tried to roll as another strike swung close and the tip of a practice blade scored his back shoulder. Taekwoon hissed and bunched up to launch himself away, trying to buy time and space. It worked just long enough for him to gain his footing and turn to face a glowering Seunghyun.

“Next time you’re not paying attention, I hit you harder,” he warned with one finger pointed at the younger rider.

Taekwoon swallowed hard and nodded once. “Sorry, sir.”

The Combat Master glared at him for a breath longer and then turned to address the other members present. He ignored the stifled laughs from Taekwoon’s wingmates and instead moved to instruct the newest riders, helping them with their form and defenses. As soon as Seunghyun’s attention was off him, Taekwoon exhaled and grimaced, mostly internally. _A little warning next time?_ he shot at Jonghyun with a touch of irritation. It was more directed at himself though.

_Didn’t know you needed,_ came the quick reply.

That was fair actually. Normally, he didn’t. He was just so blasted out of sorts today. Frustrated, he quietly shook his hands and forced the problems of last night out of mind. Now was no time to get sloppy.

Ground drills were followed by a quick bout of sparring with Seunghyun himself entering the fray to work with the weakest members: namely Ryeowook. That left Insoo and the others to pair off against the remaining riders. Maintaining their tentative rivalry, Taeyeon and Chaerin squared off again while the other woman went toe to toe with Jinyoung. While Taekwoon’s opponent was no martial master - yet, Sungmin was a pleasant combatant and a quick learner. It was easy enough to not think about anything else when the slightly shorter man pressed his defenses, albeit recklessly.

After ground drills, they went airborne for a couple marks, winding through aerial maneuvers as quickly and deftly as they could. Again, the dragons were no Aerie trained creatures, but they could keep up well enough. They had the natural speed of wild dragons but none of the endurance of trained dragons. In sprints, they held their own, but anything much longer and they got sloppy.

Insoo pushed them just enough to reach a good level of tired and then called the session. The riders took care of their dragons first and then retreated indoors for a long hot soak and hot food, in that order. With nothing much else left for the day – such was often the nature of the winter moons – Taekwoon and company spread themselves thin to see what they could help with in the Aerie. For Taekwoon, it was better than just sitting and waiting, though he did have to wonder how Jinki was doing…

Satoru was tense. Jinki could see it in the way he nibbled on his bottom lip and in the tiny crease in his forehead. Such tells were not usually present, even when the Aerie Master was nervous or unconfident about something. He normally maintained a better façade. In Jinki’s company though, and presumably by himself, his guard was a little reduced and it was obvious to see that something was weighing on the older man.

Considering what news they’d been dealing with most recently, it wasn’t surprising, but Jinki figured there was probably something else that had happened in the interim. This was unusual even on bad days. With a small sigh and quick lick of his lips, Jinki sat up straighter from his perch on the sofa and called out softly, “Any word from Yongguk?”

For a moment, Satoru didn’t respond. It was very much as if the man hadn’t heard him, but Jinki knew that would truly be strange. No. After a couple heartbeats, he blinked as the question registered and then sighed. “Yes, but nothing good,” he murmured softly, dark eyes scouring the map in front of him while he made notes on a separate paper next to it.

“Is he going to be returning soon?” Jinki asked carefully. The last he’d heard, the other man was due to return this sevenday but had not been able to due to complications in Kokoshir.

Satoru’s minute headshake was a frustrating answer. His face darkened suddenly and then he took a breath as he forcefully released the tension and sat up. In the blink of an eye, the darkness washed away as the Aerie Master focused on his trainee with a thoughtful expression, obviously contemplating something. After a moment of Jinki fidgeting uncertainly and Satoru’s silent introspection, he spoke again. “Come here, Jinki,” he waved, gesturing for his trainee to attend him directly. That was strange as it was usually under the purview of Yongguk, but in his absence… Jinki was the second in command as far as Aerie Masters went.

Hesitantly, Jinki approached and looked down at what the Aerie Master was studying. “Yes?” he asked softly, feeling a knot starting to form in his belly as he could make sense of the writing now. Satoru was making notes but there was also an opened scroll from one of their riders. It was short and worrisome.

_Riders appearing in Fantor by boat. No dragons in tow and no markings, but local contacts have seen them ‘talking.’_

The fact that Satoru hadn’t hidden it meant Jinki was supposed to see the note and that was also worrisome. The Aerie Master gestured at the desk and commented, “You’ve been spending a great deal of time checking in with the Aerie residents and such. Including our newest group of riders and the not minimal number of incoming residents. Pray tell, remind me of what’s happening in the Aerie.”

Though the comment was directed at the map and it sounded like it was a general call for information, it felt like it could have been more. Something important. But for all that, for one moment, Jinki froze and his mind went blank. Then the wheels started turning and he automatically jumped through the possibilities of whether Satoru meant people, dragons, and injures, supplies, rumors, or even the newest members and what might have been happening underfoot. Scanning the map, he figured he’d start at the Aerie as questioned and then just work on recalling what was happening abroad. After all, this was a test of sorts, to see if he’d been paying attention or at least keeping up with what was changing.

He did a few mental checks to recall the last numbers he had and then shrugged minutely before he started speaking. “The condition of the Aerie is… acceptable but not ideal or even comfortable. More than half our Battalion members are either stationed at sister cities or engaging in regular patrols and errands as needed. We have two sick dragons with Hyesung, four more who are injured and one riderless one that is still with us for now. As for riders, no one is sick beyond the brief cold sickness bouts they sometimes suffer after coming in from the cold, though we do have…” he paused to recall the numbers in the Healing Hall, “seven with varying degrees of practice related injuries. Two are still recovering from long term injuries received in the field.”

“Good,” Satoru nodded in what seemed like hesitant approval when Jinki took a breath. “What about Aerie supplies and the rest of the residents?”

Was that a hint of resignation in his tone? Jinki didn’t know but it seemed as if he’d missed something. He didn’t know what it could have been though, so he pushed aside his doubt and took a moment to recall before speaking. “Supplies are sustainable at our usual levels for the next moon, give or take, but after that, we will have to start going to short rations. The harvest was not as good this year and… if I remember correctly, tithes and donations were also reduced so that they could be hoarded instead. As for the residents, some of the younger ones are dealing with colds and the older ones are complaining of the usual aches and pains, but there are no major issues. On the other and, we are seeing more people than usual arrive every sevenday, including a larger number of children. Especially for this weather.”

“Hence the supplies issue,” Satoru exhaled, scratching at his face. “What would your approach to the supplies situation be for the next winter moons?” he asked, turning his full attention on the younger man.

Jinki was caught off guard by the question. To date, he had yet to be asked such a thing and it made his worry intensify. This was something that Yongguk would usually answer. “Hmm,” he hummed, tapping on his bottom lip. “If we have no guarantee of additional supplies coming in between now and our usual exchanges,” he started, glancing at Satoru to see what his response would be. A single shake of his head answered the concern and added to Jinki’s. “Then I would start reducing the amount of overall food now and thinning what soups and porridges we do have to make them last longer.”

“And if that is already being done?” Satoru prompted, making Jinki wince. He thought he’d noticed the soup being a little watery lately.

“Well, we can’t take from the dragon’s food lightly, though we might be able to cull a weaker or older animal for our consumption as necessary,” he thought out loud. “So long as they have enough food to make it reasonably well through the winter, we can always resupply after the cold moons.” Satoru nodded in acceptance but gave no other indication if that was also already being considered. “If the cities are not willing to help with additional supplies, we could send a small team of dragonriders to visit nearby villages to see if perhaps they might trade food for favors.” Even as he said it, he knew how ridiculous that sounded. They would be more worried about food in the cold moons instead of the future of having a dragonrider’s favor.

“In better times, perhaps,” Satoru justified the suggestion, but confirmed it was not good at this juncture.

“In lieu of that, there are some winter growths we might be able to scavenge beyond the Aerie walls. And dragons could potentially hunt any large game that has not opted to sleep away the cold,” he added, frowning at his words. It seemed such a miniscule thing to do when there were still a fair few dragons and people to feed. Hunting was hardest in the cold moons and there was no way they’d be able to find enough to feed everyone… but it was better than nothing if it did work.

“Good,” Satoru nodded once, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest. His eyes were fixated on the map, jumping to his notes and the letter intermittently as he thought about his next words. It did not make Jinki feel any better about their conversation. “What do you know of what’s happening in the sister cities?” he asked suddenly, looking up to catch Jinki’s gaze.

Mildly surprised, he shook his head and admitted, “Not as much as I fear I should. I know that Yongguk has heard of recent trouble in Kokoshir and that Fantor,” he nodded at the note, “has had a recent influx of unknown riders. Also that Talongrace is dealing with the encroaching forces of the Dawnstar Battalion.”

“Indeed,” the Aerie Master confirmed, sitting up and leaning forward this time. “And if that was all we had to worry about, I might be more confident about the coming moons,” he admitted, a shadow that Jinki had never seen before crossing his face.

“There’s more?” he whispered before he could stop himself, eyes widening slightly.

Satoru nodded slowly and took a deep breath before releasing it in a controlled exhale. “Outside of the recent infighting and squabbles we’ve seen and heard about among the sister cities of Kinshire, I have been keeping in touch with contacts inside of Bondsland.” At Jinki’s raised brow, he chuckled, “You can be sure that Tiamat’s Aerie has contacts here as well. For any… leader, it is par for the course,” he admitted with a soft laugh. “But my contacts have been going silent. As if someone has found them or something has scared them enough to stop sending information. Or it’s also possible that information has simply been intercepted on its way here. This was one of the last ones I got from the riders we sent to Fantor and it was delivered by a usual merchant on one of his last runs for this season.”

“Are they riders from Tiamat’s Aerie?” Jinki couldn’t help but ask, brows furrowing in concern.

“More than likely,” Satoru nodded with a twisted mouth. “In the moon before the cold set in, we received a missive from one of our contacts in Urdmire.” Jinki nodded at the name – the city in connection with Tiamat’s Aerie. “Reports have indicated that unlike Bahamut’s Aerie, the dragon count in Tiamat’s Aerie has grown significantly. The…” he hesitated with a slight grimace, “Tiamat High Dragon Priest is said to visit them frequently.”

Jinki’s face crumpled in confusion. Both Aeries were bound by similar rules and expectations. The High Priests, and Aerie Masters to a degree, were supposed to enforce that balance so that neither grew too large for the other. “How can they have so many more dragons than we do?” he wondered aloud, shaking his head.

Again, Satoru paused and frowned slightly. Jinki wasn’t sure he’d answer given the reaction. But… he did. “There are rumors of wild dragon eggs being raised in the Aerie. It would be easy to obtain riders if they did not have to go through the Trials and merely raised one from the shell.”

“But-” Jinki started to say before Satoru cut him off.

“We both know the High Priests can control dragons. It is not so far a stretch for Tiamat’s High Priest to do so. The more troubling part is that ours won’t,” he confided, eyes narrowing slightly.

Jinki opened his mouth to object but then he stopped. There was no point. He didn’t know and it was likely that Satoru didn’t know either. The larger problem now was what was going to happen after the fact. “Okay,” he exhaled, trying to keep his head clear as he put the pieces together. “We have Dawnstar riders actively harrying Talongrace and trying to make headway into Kinshire from the north. We have sightings of what are likely Dawnstar riders in Fantor, minus their dragons which is another concern all on its own. We’ve got infighting among the sister cities with Kokoshir being in moderate conflict with at least Fantor and…”

“Talongrace, unsurprisingly,” Satoru filled in for him.

“What about Marsh Rest, Miremaw, and Samut?” Jinki asked, pointing out the cities on the map.

“Loyal or neutral as always. Marsh Rest has no direct connection to the sea, though there is a small port village they contact from time to time. Samut is very much their own city and Miremaw has no reason for conflict. They have the Aerie and Kokoshir has a good relationship with us so no reason for conflict,” he confirmed.

“So Tiamat’s Aerie is sending forces into our lands and actively trying to pit the cities against each other?” Jinki wondered, feeling dread seep into him further.

Satoru took a breath and nodded once. “It looks that way.”

“So what does that mean for us?” he had to ask, glancing at the door, beyond which Taekwoon and the others would be.

“Nothing good,” Satoru admitted, all the pain and worry that he’d obviously been hiding from everyone evident in his tone. “What is your take on the influx of children and younger persons recently?” he asked, shifting their attention to the newest problem of people versus supplies.

Jinki frowned and shook his head minutely. He didn’t know. It was the first time he’d seen such an immediate influx. They always had some newcomers showing up here and there, often accompanied by a Dragon Priest or someone else, but now… “Well. The people we’re seeing aren’t strictly the outcasts or tithed ones. These are…” he trailed off as the pieces started to come together. “They’re not as finely dressed and not as obvious about it, but these are nobles’ children, aren’t they?” he asked for clarification, frowning at the implications.

“Yes. A fair number of them are,” Satoru confirmed softly, his eyes still trained on his Trainee.

“But there’s no reason to send them here now. They have food and supplies and all that they could need in the cities,” he reasoned, ticking off the things they were leaving behind. “It’s not as if they were in danger.”

“Yet.”

The single word sent a lightning bolt of fear through Jinki. It was spoken so matter of factly that it was almost as if Satoru knew what might happen. “You think there will be fighting?” he asked in a breathless whisper.

Satoru took a slow breath as his gaze settled on a point in front of him, unfocused but very much thinking. “We already know Tiamat’s Aerie is making overtures and if our reports are accurate, we will be seeing more of them after the cold leaves. Worse… the sister cities have started to turn against each other. Fantor and Talongrace feel that Kokoshir hasn’t done enough to help them with their current hardships. Relations have begun to sour. I don’t know how much the King has heard about the Dawnstar Battalion, but I am relatively certain the children we are seeing are because their parents are worried about retaliation from the other cities.”

“But Kokoshir has been suffering as well,” Jinki objected, jerking slightly when Satoru looked up to meet his eyes unexpectedly.

“Indeed,” he agreed, blinking once. “But I don’t think we’ve seen all the players at the table here. We’re missing something,” he added, saying the words with such certainty. Jinki was conflicted. He believed the Aerie Master and he agreed, but there was something about the way he was looking at him. It was almost like there was more he wanted to say but didn’t. Or… couldn’t.

“I…” he started to say, trailing off without the words to follow through.

Abruptly, Satoru sighed once and blinked, his hands moving unobtrusively to loosely cross in front of him, palms resting on his forearms. The effect was broken as quickly as it had settled in. His expression was still troubled, but when he spoke, his voice was back to its normal cadence and reassuring sound. “Thank you for your insight, Jinki.”

He couldn’t help but wave off the words. “I didn’t offer anything you didn’t already know,” he breathily laughed, ducking his head in mild embarrassment.

“On the contrary, I think you help me to find the answers I sometimes cannot see,” he smiled warmly, some of the tension draining away from his face. “I believe we’ll call it there for the day, but if you wouldn’t mind, please check in with Gain. She had something she was concerned about and I think you might have a good chance of working to the heart of it,” he encouraged, nodding once at the younger man.

“Of course, Master Satoru,” Jinki responded immediately, bowing respectfully as he did so. “The Paramour has a unique perspective,” he chuckled once, recalling past visits with her. She intimidated him, but her insight was particularly clear when she wanted to disclose it.

“That she does,” the Aerie Master agreed with a wholly bemused expression. Jinki figured he’d probably been on the receiving end of it a time or two.

Taking his leave, Jinki stepped out of the office, maintaining the forced light expression Satoru had helped conjure. But outside of the Aerie Master’s presence, it shattered and he stopped to lean against the door, weak kneed and filled with worry. His heart beat fast in his chest and his stomach roiled with tension, making him feel slightly nauseous. Infighting, the encroaching Dawnstar Battalion, and a hidden player helping to set everything up? It felt like something out of a nightmare and otherwise impossible. But apparently it was something that was starting to stare them in the face.

Why was everything starting to fall apart? Why was balance between the Aeries shifting so much? And what could they do about it? Roughly, Jinki scrubbed both hands over his face and forced himself to take a calming breath. Getting upset about it wasn’t going to help anyone right now. Especially not the aerie. “Okay,” he breathed, looking up to focus on the mural across from him. Once again, something twisted in his gut upon seeing it. He didn’t know why but it bothered him. Why?! Scowling at the image, he wandered closer, raking his eyes over the surface as if he was searching for something. It almost felt as if there was something here he was missing. It itched at the edge of his awareness, making him want to scratch it more.

Drawing near, his placed his fingertips against the stone and started tracing over the surface. He could almost feel something guiding him, moving his hand slowly but inexorably towards… something. Down and down, closer to the bottom of the painting his fingers moved. Jinki wasn’t entirely surprised that he drew ever nearer to the broken spot. He inhaled slightly, blinking in surprise when his hand stopped. Perhaps he should have been alarmed, but he was drawn more by the faded and slightly broken marking he’d missed the first time he’d seen it. Or maybe he _had_ noticed it, but like everyone else, he simply had not recognized or understood what it was. But this time… he was pretty sure he was seeing what was left of a rune.

“Could it be?” he wondered softly, letting his fingertip trace over the faded lines that were mostly hidden by the paint over them. Unless you were looking very hard, they could easily be passed off as shadows or mere cracks from time and age. But this felt different. He didn’t know what it could be, but… “I’ve gotta tell Taekwoon,” he exhaled, drawing his closed fist to his chest decisively. Quickly, he stood up to leave. Stepping out of the Aerie Master’s foyer, he was hit by a blast of cold air that was just as surprising as the blue dragon he nearly ran into immediately outside the doorway. Jinki flailed and his feet slipped out from under him, sending him awkwardly to the ground. “Ow…” he groaned as the belatedly recognized Jongup promptly leaned over him in concern.

“Jinki!” a familiar and surprised voice called out, making him turn to see Taekwoon rushing up to help him, clothed in his warm, winter riding leathers. Well that was odd… “Are you alright?” the dragonrider asked in concern, kneeling next to his other half quickly.

The immediate answer was yes, but Jinki was desperately trying to connect all the dots because it didn’t seem like this should be happening. It was too great a coincidence. “Yeah…” he trailed off, accepting Taekwoon’s assistance to get back to his feet before he pointed at the rider and then to Jongup and finally to Jonghyun who was also in the immediate vicinity. “What are you all doing here?” he asked, blurting out the first question that came to mind.

Taekwoon blinked and shrugged. “Jonghyun said Jongup was acting a little strange so I came to check on him and then I saw you come out after he’d been staring at the door for an unusually long amount of time.” He glanced at the blue dragon with a questionable expression before looking back at his other half.

Jinki focused on Taekwoon for a moment, letting the words sink in. Jongup had been staring at the door? Before he had come out? He leveled his finger at the dragon and whispered quietly, “You?”

Jongup crooned and sidled closer, bumping his nose gently against Jinki’s side. “Hey!” Taekwoon chirped in surprise, even as Jinki dropped one hand to lay it gently against the blue face.

“It’s alright,” Jinki promised, keeping his attention on the blue dragon, their eyes meeting briefly. Not for the first time, he felt a strange pull coming from them, but he did not follow it. Okay. Weird occurrence notwithstanding, there was a fairly decent possibility that Jongup’s presence had made something happen. He didn’t know what or why and was probably happier not knowing but… Taekwoon was here and he still had to show him what he’d found. “I think I found something,” he explained as he looked at Taekwoon again, minutely squeezing Jongup’s face in silent acknowledgment of his potential assistance.

“Yeah?” the dragonrider asked, tilting his head to the side curiously.

“Come on,” Jinki urged, grabbing Taekwoon’s hand and pulling him inside, wincing once when his hip smarted from his fall. “Right here,” he pointed, finding the faded marking with greater ease this time. “I think it’s a rune,” he explained, waiting to see what Taekwoon would say.

Immediately focused, his other half squatted in front of the wall and stared at the image briefly. Jinki could almost feel a shift in the air as it seemed like something in Taekwoon changed. He heard the slight intake of breath and felt his heart hiccup at what it probably meant. “It _is_ a rune,” he whispered, brow obviously furrowed, even in profile. “Believe,” he added, turning to look up at Jinki with an unreadable expression and slightly glowing amber eyes.

“Believe?” he asked for clarification, confused as to why it would be here. And a bit unnerved by the change this close up. It was… startling.

Taekwoon’s expression darkened as a thought apparently occurred to him. “I saw this rune in the library. And now here. On a mural that is covering… another picture?” he mused aloud, visage crumpling into a scowl as he focused on the image again. “There is something here that we are not meant to see,” he muttered with a strange and angry certainty.

“Hey,” Jinki murmured in a soothing tone, reaching down to rest his hand on Taekwoon’s shoulder.

Almost at once, bunched muscles relaxed under his touch and Taekwoon let out a slow breath. “Good job in finding it,” he whispered, placing one hand to rest atop Jinki’s.

“I think… Jongup helped,” he admitted uncertainly, eyes darting to the door beyond which the dragons were waiting.

“Eh?” Taekwoon murmured, standing up slowly as he turned his full attention on the other man.

“At first, I was just looking. I was… frustrated,” he admitted, recalling what he’d been thinking about before. “But then it seemed like I was missing something and when I touched the image, it almost felt like something was… guiding me,” he explained, biting on his bottom lip.

Taekwoon glanced towards the door as well and then returned his attention to Jinki. He took both hands and grasped his face tenderly before resting his forehead against Jinki’s. “Perhaps you are connected somehow,” he murmured softly, human eyes peering into his once more.

“But we’re not bound,” Jinki denied quickly, resting his hands atop Taekwoon’s.

“Connected doesn’t mean bound, my heart,” he laughed once, a smile pulling at his lips. “Having spent time around our newest riders, connected would be a good way of describing their relationship too,” he added, head tilting slightly to the side in a hesitant admission.

“Ah. Right!” Jinki jerked as he remembered. “We’re supposed to meet them today. Are they free now?” he asked, excited and worried and feeling as if there was something he might have been forgetting.

“They should be,” Taekwoon answered. “We knew you were busy so were biding our time until you were free. Ryeowook has a few places already mapped out but I’m sure there are others too…” he trailed off, a hint of concern showing.

“We’ll figure it out, love,” Jinki promised, raising his mouth just enough to steal a quick kiss. This close, it would have been a shame not to.

Taekwoon’s face softened and a tender smile returned. “When you say it, I believe it, my heart.”

His response warmed Jinki through and through. It was almost a challenge to separate so that they could head out; he was so comfortable in that moment. But larger concerns called and if he’d learned anything, it was how to prioritize necessities first. “Good. Let’s get to it then,” he encouraged, nodding once as he took one of Taekwoon’s hands in his and promptly guided him out of the foyer again.


	31. Impossible Revelations

It didn’t take Taekwoon and Jinki long to track down Chaerin. With her, they located Ryeowook in short order and then opted to follow the other man to where he thought he’d seen a few runes around the Aerie. For the sake of not drawing too much attention to themselves, they decided to keep this foray at four people. If they needed to add others later, they could. But for now, this was fine, and honestly, Taekwoon preferred it. If they did find what were actually runes and he needed to read them, he was more comfortable with the idea of fewer people being around.

“Over here is where I’m certain I saw one,” Ryeowook encouraged as he hugged himself against the cold and led the way towards the Bahamut Shrine. With the sun going down, the chill in the air was biting harder and their breath billowed thinly in front of them in frequent gasps. The three nodded in confirmation of hearing him but otherwise remained silent as they followed in his wake. “Right… here!” he exclaimed, stopping at the side of the door. “I’m almost certain it means calm,” he added, tracing the dim chiseled marking with his gloved fingertip.

Taekwoon felt Chaerin glance at him as he stepped forward to get a better look himself. The rune was etched into the doorway a bit further down, like in the library. It had a similar marking on the other side of the doorway that made it seem as if they were little more than decorations. They weren’t obvious and they looked almost the same to the passing eye. But when he invoked his dragon half, the differences couldn’t have been more obvious. A bemused smile tugged at one corner of his mouth when the ‘calm’ rune actually translated to ‘peace’ but the meaning was close enough. The one on the other side was ‘guidance.’ “You’re right,” he nodded, turning to Ryeowook as he brushed his dragon half away. “This one’s ‘guidance’,” he added, shrugging when the shorter man gave him a suspicious look.

“Do you think there are more inside?” Chaerin asked, glancing between the two quickly.

Ryeowook was slow to answer, his eyes lingering on Taekwoon with a studying gleam, but then he nodded. “Probably. But I haven’t looked well inside. I was mostly searching the obvious areas out here. There are more along the walls and I’ve seen a couple around the sleeping quarters as well as the training hall.”

“What are they?” Jinki asked, pressing close to Taekwoon, both for comfort as much as warmth.

“I don’t know all of them, but they mostly look like positive ones. There are some I just don’t recognize and couldn’t say,” he added with a frown, glancing at Taekwoon once more.

“Show us,” Taekwoon encouraged, gesturing for the other man to lead the way.

“You know something,” he pointed suspiciously, making Taekwoon glance at Chaerin speculatively. She gave a minute shrug and pretended innocence. It was impossible she hadn’t told him anything, but perhaps she had been very selective in what she let Ryeowook know.

“I suspect something,” Taekwoon confirmed instead, waiting for them to move before he relaxed a bit more.

“Huh…” was the only response he got before Ryeowook just shrugged and continued his trek around the aerie. At the walls, there were markings for fortitude and far sight, which made sense for anyone on patrol duty. Near the dragon caves, there was another for health and obedience… That one made Taekwoon frown, but not nearly as much as the one that was practically hidden in a corner he only saw because Ryeowook had somehow managed to spot it previously. “This one! It’s not a rune I know, but I thought it had to be important with the way it’s been hidden away.”

Taekwoon’s fists clenched and his jaw tightened as he recognized it even without his dragon sight. “Infertility,” he practically growled, feeling something angry coil in his belly.

“Infertility?” Ryeowook blinked, missing Chaerin and Jinki’s surprise. “Are you sure?” he asked, brow furrowed in disbelief.

“Positive,” the other rider scowled, backed quickly by Chaerin.

“He’s right. I’ve seen this mark before too,” she admitted, biting her bottom lip. “But I thought the dragons were infertile because of the binding?” she asked, turning her focus on Taekwoon and Jinki. “That’s what they explained here anyway,” she added, shaking her head.

“It’s also common knowledge outside the aerie that the dragons here don’t have eggs too,” Ryeowook added with a slight frown.

“They’re supposed to be,” Jinki answered with a quick nod as he glanced at Chaerin and then Ryeowook. His expression showed he was beginning to doubt that fact, though.

“Have you seen this anywhere else?” Taekwoon asked sharply, his eyes narrowed as he stared at Ryeowook.

“Not that I know of,” he replied with a flinch, taken aback by the intensity with which he was being scrutinized.

“Do you think there are more?” Jinki asked, glancing between the riders uncertainly.

Taekwoon nodded. “If the dragons have one, and probably more than one, I would guess there’s also one or more near the sleeping quarters. Or potentially anywhere there’s a bed,” he muttered darkly.

“Dongwan always theorized it was a sympathetic response. Something to do with the shared effect of a dragon and rider becoming one,” Jinki explained, hands moving quickly in front of him as he thought through the possibilities. “But… could runes have the same effect?” he frowned thoughtfully, fingers resting gently against his chin.

“Ryeowook. How do runes work?” Chaerin asked, laying a hand on his shoulder as she leaned closer.

His immediate reaction was to shrug and shake his head. “I’m not entirely sure. I’ve studied them but never tried using them myself. I know what they mean but I’ve only read about how they work in theory.”

“Tell us,” she encouraged gently, nodding her head towards the other two nearby.

“Well…” he trailed off, shuffling in place uncertainly. “I’m not positive but the rune by itself isn’t particularly useful. Anyone can write a rune and read it. You have to give it power,” he explained, mirroring Jinki’s hand movements as he tried to help make sense of everything. “Depending on the power source, it can be very effective, though of course, not immediately. Regardless of the runes, it takes time for them to build efficacy and strength. Kind of like training as it were. So long as there’s something that keeps it powered, it continues to get stronger with time.”

“What can people use to power it then?” Jinki asked with a darting glance at Taekwoon. The dragonrider had a dark and ugly suspicion and was otherwise holding his peace at the moment.

“Again, I’ve never done it myself, but… I believe blood is the most common power source,” he explained with a quick shrug. “Usually your own,” he added quickly, mouth thinning into a grimace at the idea.

“Blood?” Taekwoon echoed, blinking with a frown as something tugged at memory. In their roles, blood was common enough and not that unusual, but he was certain he’d heard something or… Gaze unfocused, he turned his head towards Jinki and murmured, “Where did we see something that talked about blood? I know we did,” he scowled, frustrated by his inability to place it.

Equally frustrated and perplexed, Jinki shook his head. “I… don’t remember.”

_Library?_ came the very unexpected suggestion from Jonghyun.

Taekwoon gasped and looked directly at Jinki as that triggered it. “In the book,” he whispered in a hurried rush before he grabbed the other man’s hand and promptly pulled him along.

“Hey!” Jinki yelped, not expecting the shift.

“Where are you going?” Ryeowook and Chaerin asked together, belatedly falling into step behind them.

He heard their question but he didn’t feel like answering with the worry that was gnawing at him. He’d seen a mention of it in the book. Maybe it was nothing at all, but he had to check and make sure. If nothing else, he could also show them the runes he’d found there. But this… he needed to confirm. _How did you know?_ he asked his dragon as he moved.

_Didn’t forget,_ he answered easily, an obvious shrug coming through their connection.

_But I didn’t tell you,_ he shook his head minutely.

_Sometimes you speak without meaning to,_ came the amused response.

_Huh,_ he snorted, mulling that over. Upon thinking about it again, he knew he’d told Jinki, but he hadn’t realized that he was projecting such thoughts to his dragon as well. _Often?_

_More recently,_ Jonghyun clarified, apparently not bothered by it. _Interesting,_ he practically grinned.

Taekwoon could imagine. _Well, thanks._

_None needed._

That was a response that had a strangely warming effect on the rider. Their relationship had certainly changed a great deal since the beginning and little moments like that only helped show just how much, never mind they’d only been together for less than a year. He sent a final feeling of pride through their connection and then focused on making his way into the library. Not entirely surprisingly, Jolin was there with some of the newest arrivals, and they jumped when he and his group bustled through the door. “Sorry!” he called out sheepishly, feeling his companions share in his mild embarrassment. She didn’t try to stop them when he detoured to grab an already lit candle lamp, but he could feel her eyes on them as they promptly disappeared into the back where they’d sequestered the books for the time being. “Here,” he urged reaching for the history tome he’d been reading as he set the light source on the table.

“What in the Kingdoms?” he heard Ryeowook’s surprised and awed whisper as he pushed close to peer over the other rider’s shoulder.

Taekwoon brushed him away gently and then carefully flipped through the pages. Part of him hoped he was wrong and that there was nothing here. Another part knew there was some connection. And something else wanted his suspicion to be true as some sort of vindication. For what, he didn’t know yet, but he was very much conflicted. Reaching the page, he exhaled slowly and set the paper down with great care as he stared at the writing. “It’s here…” he whispered, trailing off as he read the line he recalled:

_May the blood of Bahamut and Tiamat forever maintain the peace and prosperity of the Aeries._

“The blood of Bahamut?” Chaerin frowned, shaking her head. “Surely they can’t mean that literally.”

“If it’s a historical context, it’s likely just a figurative way of wishing us well after the… ascension of Bahamut?” Ryeowook caught himself, blinking in confusion.

“But everyone says the dragon god Bahamut rose to the heavens,” Chaerin explained, parroting what they’d all been taught. “Tiamat was the one that was bound.”

“Bahamut help us,” Ryeowook exhaled, shaking his head. “So why would they mention both here then?” Ryeowook asked, pointing at the phrase with a confused look.

“This book has been telling a very different story than the one we have been told,” Taekwoon commented, tapping his fingers on the open page before them.

“Right. And speaking of Bahamut help us…” Jinki started as he reached for the personal journal. “There was something else too…” he explained, flipping through the pages quickly but as carefully as possible as well. “Remember the last entry?” he mused aloud, giving Taekwoon a sidelong glance.

“Yes, but they were strange names,” he recalled, brows rising after a moment as memory served him better. “Though… it did speak of what we seem to be dealing with now.”

“Exactly!” Jinki nodded energetically, getting to the end of the journal and laying the page flat. “I missed it before, because Mauthab and Attami are just strange, but look here,” he explained, pointing at the final line: _May Mauthab continue to light our way._ “We use this phrase, or one like it, often when we talk about Bahamut. Just like your use of ‘Bahamut help us’,” he finished, motioning towards Ryeowook.

“It can’t be,” Chaerin denied, though her tone indicated she was just as curious.

“Wait a minute,” Ryeowook interrupted as his fingers danced in the air, eyes riveted on the word. “It’s a scrambled word!” he exclaimed, blinking in astonishment and surprise. “Mauthab is Bahamut,” he stated, gesturing firmly at the book as he turned his focus to the other three nearby.

Taekwoon was not alone in the dawning surprise that washed over his face. “Alright. Let’s say you’re right,” he conceded, one hand motioning towards Ryeowook. “If Mauthab is Bahamut, then Attami is…”

“Tiamat,” Jinki stated, hands moving like they were playing something in the air.

“And what about this one?” Chaerin asked, pointing at another name that didn’t make immediate sense.

“Sighe,” Ryeowook frowned, biting his lip as he mulled it over.

“I don’t know,” Jinki mused, face scrunched in complete confusion. “Hesig. Gheis. Shige. Eghis…”

“None of those make any sense,” Taekwoon deadpanned beside him.

“I’m trying,” his other half retorted with a frustrated grumble.

“Maybe Sighe is just Sighe,” Ryeowook shrugged, hands splaying out to either side of him. “It could be just a name.”

“Maybe,” Chaerin admitted, even as Taekwoon turned his attention back to Jinki.

“Were there any other strange names?” he wondered, scanning the page even as nothing jumped out.

“Not that I remem… Oh!” he blinked in thought. “There was one near the beginning. Sighe something…” he mused, backtracking in the book. “Here!” he pointed, finger stopping on a two part name. “Sighe Prith.”

“Strange,” Chaerin mumbled, chewing on her thumbnail now.

“What’s this one?” Taekwoon asked, spying another name further down. “Wraimme,” he whispered.

“No idea,” Jinki admitted distractedly, his attention on the other puzzle he was working on.

Taekwoon frowned and read a few lines around Wraimme. His eyes widened when the most obvious probability appeared. “Miremaw,” he whispered, connecting the nearby city with where they’d moved with the new Aeries. “It’s Miremaw,” he stated again, as if that would somehow make it truer regardless.

Beside him, he heard Ryeowook whispering some of the words on the page. “Powerful. Brotherhood. Magics…”

Chaerin’s more than obvious gasp drew their attention quickly. Her eyes were wide in her face and her hand had moved partially in front of her mouth, as if she could take the sound back somehow. Her attention was wholly on Ryeowook though. “I think Sighe Prith is… High Priest.”

“Eh?” Ryeowook chirped in confused surprise, doubtful himself before he turned to shuffle the letters around.

Taekwoon wasn’t paying attention anymore. His gaze was focused on Chaerin. With her hand in front of her face, hiding just enough of her mouth and leaving her frustratingly familiar eyes in relief, he realized who she reminded him of. Only… it was impossible or at least too great a coincidence.

He heard Jinki reason out a response to the suggestion. “The High Priest is known to be able to control dragons, so it’s only reasonable that his predecessors would have similar powers.”

Had he not been looking so closely, he probably never would have seen it. Chaerin hadn’t noticed his scrutiny yet and she literally tensed up, her entire body reacting in a way that was so subtle, it could have passed as a chill instead, but so obvious to Taekwoon’s unblinking stare. It took her a couple heartbeats more to realize he was observing her and she actively flinched away from his gaze this time, looking down as she did so. Conflicted, he didn’t know if he should immediately confront her about his suspicion or hold off for a moment. Taking note of his present company, he opted for the latter for the time being. “Why were you so surprised about Sighe Prith possibly being High Priest?” he asked, unmoving. Of course he’d been surprised too, but her reaction spoke of something more.

Almost immediately, she shook her head and tried to wave off the question, forcing a smile and a small laugh. “It was just so unexpected,” she promised, glancing at Ryeowook in a way that must have made him look in Taekwoon’s direction. The other man blinked in surprise at meeting Taekwoon’s eyes.

“Taekwoon?” his other half asked softly, placing a hand on one of his shoulders.

“Chaerin,” the dragonrider stated firmly, looking back at the woman before them.

She swallowed hard and looked at Ryeowook as if he might be able to help somehow. He shook his head but shrugged. “He scares me,” she eventually admitted, arms wrapping around herself defensively.

“Rin…” Ryeowook murmured, one hand rising as if to stop her or comfort her.

“Why?” Jinki asked this time, fingers tightening on Taekwoon’s shoulder. Alright. He’d be silent for now…

Almost relieved, she focused on Jinki’s face, her brows furrowed and lips pursed. “Because he _is_ powerful,” she explained earnestly, no trace of treachery present. Just honest and raw fear. It was enough to make Taekwoon relax just a touch.

“How so?” the Aerie Master in Training urged warmly, a coaxing sound to his voice.

When Chaerin didn’t answer immediately, Ryeowook stepped in. “Have you heard any rumors about the High Priest?”

In his periphery, Taekwoon saw Jinki shake his head. “We don’t get many rumors here. Not about the High Priest anyway,” he admitted with a shake of his head. “He only comes about once a year to bless the Bahamut’s Blood-” He stopped speaking as he realized what he’d said and everyone froze, the moment trapped in shock.

Taekwoon looked up at Jinki as his other half looked down. “Bahamut’s Blood,” he whispered, his immediate suspicion displaced by a sickening certainty that twisted his gut. _Jonghyun…?_ he called out softly, feeling strangely adrift.

_I heard,_ his dragon answered immediately, not as caught off guard as his rider.

“I’ve heard of that,” Ryeowook murmured, glancing between the two. “Isn’t it the-”

“Binding liquid,” Taekwoon answered in a whisper. “They all said it wasn’t really…” he added in disbelief. “It’s impossible.”

It was a feeling that seemed to be shared by everyone. Because if it was real, then that meant… “Could Bahamut be here?” Jinki asked, shaking his head at just how crazy it sounded.

“But how…?” Ryeowook asked, completely baffled by the whole thing. “Where would he be hidden? It’s not like we’ve seen him anywhere.”

“The Great Binding,” Taekwoon murmured, dropping his gaze to the books on the table. He glanced at the magic tome, in which he’d seen the binding rune, and then back at the history book and journal.

“Landris’s final entry,” Jinki added, reaching to turn back to the page they’d first seen the scrambled names on. “ _It is still strange being this close to Mauthab. Power infused the Aerie…_ But our history…” he trailed off, fighting the dissonance in what they were all taught.

“Don’t you know anything, Jinki?” Ryeowook asked, turning his expectant gaze upon the other man. “You are training to be the next Aerie Master, aren’t you?”

“I am,” he agreed with a quick nod, “but it’s not something Satoru has ever brought up with me. If there’s any truth to this, I don’t think he would until I was officially sworn in as his replacement. As of right now, that’s Yongguk,” he admitted with a shrug, though his expression was still pensive.

“The Aerie Master knows, right?” he pressed, following up on the first question.

“He would have to. He’s the one that goes with the High Priest when he arrives,” Jinki explained easily. “Dragon Commander Eric doesn’t usually, but I know he speaks with the High Priest sometimes too.”

“What about you, Taekwoon? Any ideas?” Ryeowook asked, looking at the pensive dragonrider expectantly.

Taekwoon blinked unfocused eyes and then turned his attention to the pair before them. Chaerin had yet to speak again, though she was not looking so closed off anymore. And Ryeowook was chasing a new story so the fever of forbidden knowledge burned bright in his eyes. Taekwoon turned his attention to Chaerin directly and shook his head. “None,” he lied perfectly through his teeth. There was a powerful memory stirring in the back of his mind, but with his most recent suspicions, he did not feel like sharing them with the present company.

She held his gaze for a moment more, and then took a small breath and gave a tiny nod of acknowledgement. “Well. This has turned into something more than any of us expected,” she murmured softly, fingers scratching lightly against her forearms.

“But we haven’t even talked about everything yet,” Ryeowook denied, recognizing the statement for what it was – an end to the conversation.

“It’s a lot to take in,” Jinki encouraged with a forced laugh he obviously didn’t feel. “Right now, we should all probably step back and sleep on it before we come back and try again with fresh eyes and fresh thoughts.”

“But-”

“Wookie,” Chaerin stopped her companion with a single word and a look.

He sighed at last and nodded once. “You’re probably right. Can I stay to look at these books though?” he asked, pointing at the three tomes on the table hungrily.

Taekwoon’s immediate response was no, but Jinki beat him to it. “Yes, but make sure you don’t take them out and that you treat them with care. Also, you are responsible for them,” he warned firmly.

“Of course!” Ryeowook agreed without hesitation. “I’d rather they stayed here anyway. Less chance of being interrupted,” he grinned, still a bit dazed by what they’d discussed but fully content with his newest distraction.

“What about you, Chaerin?” Jinki asked, directing his attention to the woman in their midst.

“I shall go speak with my other companions. At least let them know the gist of what we’ve found,” she explained, glancing at Taekwoon once.

“Be careful what you say,” he warned as he met her eyes.

“You as well,” she countered immediately.

He snorted and stood up, rolling his shoulders to try and ease the terrible tension in them. “I’ll be watching you,” he couldn’t help but promise, adding to the discomfit in the room.

“I know,” she calmly answered, neither threatened nor threatening in her response. Apparently, she’d regained her calm and composure.

“Taekwoon,” Jinki called softly, one hand reaching around to press against his side as if to corral him out of the room.

“I’m coming,” he murmured, glancing at Ryeowook so the other man would feel the weight of his gaze as well. Eyebrows rose at the look but then he shrugged and turned to focus on the books nearby. Taekwoon didn’t know whether to be annoyed or slightly bemused. Either way, it didn’t matter and he let Jinki guide him out of the room with gentle pressure.

When they left the room, they noticed the students had dissipated for the day and that Jolin was the only one left currently, bundled under layers of knitted clothing and furs. “Find what you were looking for?” she asked as she noticed them, her face lighting up brightly in the illumination of the candle lamp next to her.

“You could say that,” Jinki answered cheerfully, his voice a far cry from what it had been in the room.

“Wonderful! I’m glad you had some luck today. Those newest young ones seem to be struggling quite a bit with their letters and the cold,” she sighed, shaking her head quickly.

“If we could find a way to get heat in here in the winter, it wouldn’t be so bad,” Jinki consoled apologetically.

“True, but until then, there’s no getting around it. Will your friends be staying behind for now?” she asked, glancing behind them to make sure no one else was coming out.

“Ryeowook should be. I imagine Chaerin will be along shortly,” Jinki explained with a small bow before he waved at the Master Scribe. “But we must beg your leave for now, Master Jolin. It has been a long day,” he chuckled, glancing at Taekwoon as if to use him for an additional excuse.

He shrugged in silent agreement and nodded. “Of course, of course,” she laughed knowingly, glancing between them with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

“Have a good night,” Jinki called, practically dragging Taekwoon out with him. When they had cleared the library and they checked to make sure there was no one else around, his demeanor shifted to a more honest feeling and he hissed, “What was that?”

Taekwoon knew he wasn’t referring to their conversation with Jolin and he shook his head. “I’ll explain when we’re in the room.”

Jinki just looked at him for a long moment and then sighed once. “Fine. But you go first. I’m gonna stop by the kitchens and grab us some food. I haven’t eaten since the afternoon meal and I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.”

“I could eat too,” he admitted sheepishly. He hadn’t really eaten as much as he should have, given their training, but his nerves and thinking too much had stolen his appetite this day.

“Foolish man,” Jinki snorted and shook his head.

“I could come with you,” Taekwoon offered easily.

“No. You go and wait in the room. Sort out whatever’s going on in your head because I know there’s a lot bouncing around right now,” he commanded gently but firmly. The set of his mouth indicated he wouldn’t take no for an answer and given what he’d seen in the library room, it was a fair concern Taekwoon wouldn’t be good company anyway if they ran into someone.

“You win, my heart,” he chuckled, grabbing Jinki’s hand and bringing the covered limb to his lips.

Despite his command, Jinki ducked his head slightly and smiled in pleased embarrassment. “Yeah well. Someone has to look out for you,” he mumbled, reluctantly retrieving his hand before he pushed Taekwoon ahead and wandered off on a slightly different path.

Taekwoon let him go with a slight feeling of unease, though it was more from the nature of what they’d stumbled across as opposed to any real sense of danger for him. _Thoughts?_ he asked Jonghyun as he started moving again, preparing to brave the wind chill of the night air once more.

_Troubling,_ his dragon answered quickly.

_Do you think it’s possible?_ he wondered, still mulling over his recent memory.

There was a long pause before Jonghyun answered. Taekwoon was outside and well on his way to the sleeping quarters, after having to gently brush off a couple Battalion riders and a small group of resident aerie runners finishing up their chores, before he responded. _Yes._

Taekwoon waited for additional information, but none was immediately forthcoming. _So… why?_ he prompted, sighing in relief as he made the safety of the building.

_Feeling,_ he admitted uncertainly, almost as if he was confused by the answer.

_You can feel Bahamut?_ Taekwoon asked incredulously, the expression appearing on his face just as another resident was returning from the private washrooms. He forced a smile and grimaced as they passed, knowing how foolish he probably appeared. At least they hadn’t wanted to talk.

_Yes? No… Something,_ his dragon responded, frustrated.

That was good enough for Taekwoon. _Your senses are better than mine. I’ll take your word for it for now,_ he assured him. As he got to their shared room, he pushed the door open and went about preparing the brazier. _Thoughts on Chaerin?_ he called, wondering if his dragon had noticed the similarity too.

_Still hiding something,_ the copper answered quickly.

_Did you see what I saw?_ he asked more directly.

The shake of the dragon’s head was almost physically obvious. _Not all of it._

_I think I know why I don’t trust her,_ he explained slowly, watching as little flickering flames came to life in the brazier.

_Oh?_

_I have no proof and I could be wrong, but I think she’s High Priest Kevin’s daughter,_ he admitted, hoping and not that there was something there. It would be easier if he was wrong. Perhaps disappointing that he could be so off the mark, but almost a relief that his concern had to be something else. Again, he didn’t get an immediate answer. It almost seemed as if he was perhaps talking to someone else. Probably Jongup but there were still a fair few dragons around. _Jong?_ he inquired when the silence went on longer than he was comfortable.

_Mate and I think you might be right._

It was both what he wanted to hear and not. Getting some sort of confirmation from his dragon did not fill him with any sense of vindication as he thought it might. Just… twisted confusion and uncertainty. “ _Huh_ ,” he huffed instead as the door opened. He turned to look at Jinki who noticed that something was different about his expression.

“So… what did I miss?” he asked, stepping inside with the retrieved food as he let the door close behind him.


	32. Searching for Information

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair warning, we are entering a point in the story where we'll be experiencing semi-frequent POV shifts to keep tabs on what's developing. Let me know if it's too jumpy/jarring but you'll probably see it for a couple chapters here and there.

There were certain days when it seemed as if Jinki was very much a gift from the beyond. Taekwoon couldn’t help but think it again as he almost frantically tried to get his other half caught up on what he was thinking and feeling. It had been a challenge to start, made slower by Jinki forcing him to eat something first, but once the words began, they became a river he was disinclined to stop. And Jinki listened without interruption, wearing the expression that screamed Aerie Master. To his immense credit, he didn’t react strongly to any of it, though it was obvious he heard and was making notes in his head and drawing connections mutely.

When Taekwoon was finally done, feeling as if he’d emptied himself at last, Jinki laughed once and shook his head. “It’s a lot indeed. And to think we once thought about your encounter with the strange man in your second Trial as possibly being Bahamut. What if he actually was?” he asked with a shrug, eyes wide.

“I still never saw the dragon but it’s possible. The circle might have been a rune itself or many runes. I didn’t know then what I know now so I couldn’t say,” Taekwoon admitted with a small grimace. He was still perturbed that such details escaped him, especially now when he needed them the most.

“I can also see what you mean about Chaerin. She does have eyes that favor the High Priest’s,” Jinki nodded in acknowledgment.

“Remember, Jonghyun and Jongup think she might be his daughter too,” the rider added quickly, feeling a pleased sensation brush against his awareness briefly.

“I’m not denying it. Just cautioning since priests do not commonly partner with anyone. Not always, but the higher the position, the more likely it is that they don’t,” Jinki shrugged, his tone not particularly convincing.

“Yeah. I get it,” Taekwoon nodded, reaching out to take Jinki’s hand in his lightly. “I just think it’s important that we leave all options on the table.” To his relief, Jinki seemed to nod in agreement and he felt a bit of the tension he was carrying unwind. “So what are we going to start doing about it though? I mean, someone here has to know something about what’s going on.”

“About that…” Jinki trailed off, biting his lip nervously and shifting in place. It was a mildly worrisome response. “I wasn’t being entirely forthcoming in the library either,” he admitted with a heavy sigh. As much as Taekwoon wanted to ask directly, the way that his other half refused to meet his eyes made him think it probably had to do with Aerie business. When Jinki spoke next, he confirmed it. “I really shouldn’t be saying anything, but it… maybe everything is connected. History seems to be repeating itself,” he frowned, tightening his fingers around Taekwoon’s hand.

“All of our history possibly being a lie isn’t enough?” Taekwoon cringed preemptively.

“The history possibly being a lie is baffling and more than a little irritating. What’s happening beyond the Aerie is… more than a little worrisome,” he explained, looking up to meet the rider’s gaze evenly, searching for something in the depths. Jinki swallowed hard once before he spoke, adding gravity to the situation. “Satoru thinks Tiamat’s Aerie is amassing a large force of dragons. If what he’s heard is true, their numbers are growing.”

Taekwoon jerked back as if struck. “Growing?”

“Yes. It may be because the Tiamat High Dragon Priest is controlling wild dragons to bring clutches so that riders can be created without the Trials,” he explained bleakly.

“Then why isn’t Kevin doing the same here?” the dragonrider asked immediately, his face darkening with a frown.

“Satoru didn’t know,” Jinki admitted with a shake of his head. “The numbers alone aren’t the worst part though.” Taekwoon’s face hardened further. “There may be riders infiltrating Fantor. What’s more, Fantor and Talongrace are at odds with Kokoshir. Not only are we potentially facing combat from the Dawnstar Battalion, but it’s entirely possible the King will try to summon us to help with fighting in our own lands. Against our countrymen…” he trailed off, shaking his head with another audible swallow.

“Why hasn’t he told us this?” Taekwoon demanded, feeling betrayed and angry. “We are the ones that will have to fight if this is true,” he stated, balking only at the lack of information. He was not eager for a fight, but he would join one quickly enough. That was doubly true in order to protect and defend those he cared about. Through their bond, Jonghyun mirrored that sentiment.

Jinki didn’t answer immediately. His gaze dropped but he continued holding Taekwoon’s hand, gripping hard as he thought. “I imagine he wishes to confirm the situation before he brings it up. In the cold moons, there’s not much chance of a force moving against us or even making headway in our lands. He has time to try and verify, but…” he hissed softly, breath whistling through his teeth. “I think too he doesn’t want to cause a panic. If he tells what he knows now, the situation looks grim. If his sources are correct, chances are good we can’t win against the forces against us. At least not if we spread ourselves thin.”

Taekwoon swallowed his immediate anger and let that settle for a moment. If the situation was as Jinki explained, then he was right. Sending smaller wings and details to help everyone on the island would serve no purpose other than to spread them thin, wear them out, and leave them open to attacks. “He had been careful about who he sent out before the cold moons really set in,” he nodded in open contemplation. “But why hasn’t he told the riders at least?” he wondered aloud, raising his other hand to his chin.

“I’m not sure,” Jinki admitted with a quick shake of his head. “It makes sense to keep it from the rest of the aerie, more or less,” he shrugged helplessly. There wasn’t much most of the civilians could do anyway. “But… there has to be a reason.”

“Could you ask him?” Taekwoon urged, turning to his other half more directly. “You are his second in Yongguk’s absence.”

Jinki grimaced at the reminder. “Maybe. I mean, I could, but… I don’t know,” he murmured, chewing on the inside of his lip. “He was acting a little different when I spoke to him today. I mean, he has more than enough reason to be worried. But… the way he looked at me,” he frowned, shaking his head.

Taekwoon’s hackles rose at the vague wording. “Looked at you?”

Oblivious to any other meanings, Jinki nodded and went on, “It was like I was missing something. Like there was something I should have been able to see, but couldn’t,” he admitted, glancing up and blinking in brief confusion at the look on Taekwoon’s face.

Comforted at the clarification, the rider waved off his initial concern and nodded in understanding. “Did he give you any hints or clues?” he wondered with a shrug, reaching for something.

Jinki paused to think, looking down again as he played the conversation over in his head. “Actually… there was something. I mean, he asked about my thoughts on certain things, which was something he never does,” he rambled slightly, free hand waving in front of his face. “But one of the last things he said was to talk to Gain. There was something I should see her about.”

That caught Taekwoon’s attention. “Gain?”

“Mm,” Jinki nodded in confirmation, looking up to meet his eyes. “I don’t know why, but I’m sure he said there was something I might be able to… get to the heart of?” he ended hesitantly.

“That’s interesting,” the rider hummed thoughtfully. _Have you heard anything from Gain?_ he asked his dragon.

His answer was fast. _Nothing she doesn’t want me to hear._

_Fair enough,_ Taekwoon couldn’t help but smile, the expression catching Jinki’s attention.

“What?” he wondered, a similar expression pulling at his mouth.

“Jonghyun,” he replied easily, squeezing Jinki’s hand as he did so.

“I envy your ability to talk to him like that,” his other half admitted softly, one brow rising as if to shrug.

Taekwoon was about to answer but he paused, a crease marring his forehead. “I enjoy it,” he explained slowly, picking at the thoughts troubling him. “But… I have to wonder why we are able to speak with our dragons and Chaerin and her group cannot.”

“Taekwoon,” the other man sighed softly, reaching up to cup his cheek with a chilly palm. “I may be wrong, but you’re worrying about the Bahamut’s Blood aren’t you?” he pressed, easily seeing to the heart of the matter. After all, that was the crux of the issue – how riders became riders.

“I mean, the High Priest blesses the vials. What if… he is the one that, I don’t know…” he trailed off, feeling as if the thought itself was so preposterous as to be impossible.

“That creates the binding?” Jinki offered, hand staying where it was. Taekwoon nodded silently, holding his other half’s gaze. “It is a troubling thought,” he admitted, scooting closer to wrap his arms around Taekwoon’s waist, embracing him tightly.

“There’s just so much we don’t know,” Taekwoon admitted, folding his arms around Jinki as he pressed his lips to the side of the other man’s head. “And I don’t trust him.”

“I know, love. I don’t really either anymore,” his other half whispered softly, hunching just a bit closer. They were silent for a moment before he took a small breath and pressed, “There’s nothing we can do about it right now. So… what are we going to do on the morrow?” he asked, not moving as he waited for his answer.

Taekwoon swallowed once and took a breath, not entirely sure himself. With everything they didn’t know and the dangerous possibilities of what they did, it was hard to decide where to start. “I guess the best thing would be to start asking around to find out what the others know.”

“Riders and residents alike?” Jinki asked for clarification.

“No,” the rider shook his head. “I think Satoru was right about the residents. The less they have to worry about, the better. But we could certainly ask the riders and even the Masters,” he added, chewing on the inside of his lip.

“I could ask Satoru more directly,” Jinki offered with a muted shrug.

“I might hold off for now,” Taekwoon urged, something telling him it may not be the best idea. “He hasn’t told you some things and what he has told you feels a bit… off. I don’t know what it is, but something feels… not quite right. Tread lightly there,” he urged hesitantly.

“Do you not trust Satoru?” Jinki asked, pulling back just enough to look at the rider with a slight turn of his head.

Taekwoon wanted to say no. And for the most part, he did trust Satoru. But he had a gut feeling, with no good reasoning, and he was reluctant to disregard it entirely. “I do, but… remember in the journal?” he offered, fishing for something a little stronger. “Landris said that he was meeting with the High Priest, assuming that is the right translation. But after that… there was nothing. Satoru goes with our High Priest every time he comes. Yet he won’t give you information about it. And on the chance that he does actually know about Bahamut… I think it’s just safer, to be cautious right now,” he explained as best he could.

He heard a quiet grumble from Jinki in response, but there was no immediate denial. “I don’t like it, but… you might be right,” he sighed heavily after a brief pause. “I will ask him about the mural though,” he added just as quickly, nodding once.

That made Taekwoon laugh once. “I think that’s a good idea.”

“Good,” Jinki smiled, looking up to nod once. “So on the morrow, I will ask Satoru and see if we can look behind it. I will also go see Gain, and then start checking in with the Masters about what they know.”

“And I’ll speak with Insoo about reaching out to the rest of the Battalion. What about Chaerin?” he had to ask, biting on his lip uncertainly. They hadn’t left on the best of terms and it was obvious they were at an impasse in terms of trust, but… they were also part of the riders and keeping them out of the loop would be difficult, if not impossible.

“Go with what you feel is best, love,” Jinki encouraged, squeezing a bit harder around the waist. “She hasn’t done anything to really… hurt us or anything like that. And we don’t know how connected she is or is not to the High Priest. So… tread carefully, but maybe don’t close the door if you don’t have to,” he shrugged, laughing when Taekwoon groaned at his advice.

“You’re right, but that’s not helpful right now,” the rider muttered, leaning closer to gently butt his head against Jinki’s, keeping them close together after he made contact.

“Hey,” Jinki laughed and shifted, sitting upright so he was more level with the other man. Taekwoon didn’t give him a chance to say much more. Instead, he leaned in and kissed his other half quickly, pulling him close as he did so. He got a surprised chuckle in response and the beginnings of a sentence, “But what about-”

“We’ll worry about it tomorrow,” he promised instead, deciding very much that he was done with the worries of the day and what was to come. Right now, they didn’t matter and there was nothing either of them could do immediately to change anything. So he kissed Jinki again instead, and smiled when the other man leaned into the contact, clearly of a similar mind. Though the day had been fraught with too many questions and discoveries, they had a good night all the same.

Of course, talking about doing things and actually implementing their plans were two entirely different things. For one, Taekwoon didn’t even know how to approach the subject without potentially sounding crazy immediately. Second of all, it wasn’t easy trying to talk to anyone privately in the normal course of events. Morning meals were crowded and training was distracting, for good reason. Afternoon meals were equally crowded and there was little downtime to be had until later in the day. Last, Chaerin apparently wasn’t done with him and he had no desire to speak freely around her. Especially since she wasn’t willing to speak freely around him either. But her schedule was similar to his and so he had to spend the evening avoiding or warding her off.

All in all, it was safe to say the day was not productive for anything he had intended to do. In all fairness, Jinki didn’t have much luck either.

When he spoke to the Aerie Master, Satoru was quite focused on their potentially worsening Aerie problems. He wasn’t very open to having a discussion about theoretical problems or concerns. His problems were very real and he didn’t have any of the answers he wanted. Eventually, when Jinki kept pressing to at least try and get a question in, Satoru waved him off, “Jinki. If you think it is that important, then I would say that I trust your judgement on this. As one of my seconds, you do not need me to oversee everything,” he explained without looking up, everything about the exchange odd.

“Yes, sir,” Jinki blinked with a confused frown. There was nothing about his tone or even his body language that said he was angry with Jinki, but why else would he be acting so terse?

“Did you do what I suggested yesterday?” he asked quickly, following up his statement as he continued his focused observation of the scrolls in front of him.

“Not yet,” Jinki answered hesitantly. “Something else came up,” he admitted with a slightly guilty wince.

“Hmm,” Satoru sighed, but didn’t say anything else. “Very well. You may go,” he waved, once more not looking up.

“Yes, sir,” Jinki murmured softly, bowing as he stepped out of the office. The mural across from him stared back, mutely taunting him. “He trusts my judgement?” he wondered aloud, biting on the corner of his bottom lip. “Well… it is a sort of permission,” he reasoned with a shrug, the whole conversation still not settling well. “And even if it isn’t what he meant, I suppose it would be easier to ask forgiveness than official permission,” he went on, trying to convince himself. “So… I will take it for a yes for now,” he nodded once, glaring at the mural before he stepped away and headed out to grab a bite to eat and then make his way to Gain.

The afternoon meal was no time to share what he’d learned but he did let Taekwoon know he had some information. It was easy enough to see his other half wasn’t having as much luck, unfortunately. Then again, he’d never been much of a talker. If he could get him started, it would be okay, but that first step was often the hardest. Nor did he really have time to give him a pep talk. Instead, he had to go seek out Gain.

Once more, he hit a stumbling block. Her schedule was full for the day – as it often was this time of the year – and when he spoke to Sanghyuk, the errand runner who was playing desk duty that shift, surprisingly enough, he had to make an appointment to try again later. “Hyosung has well and good become an official Paramour at this point,” Sanghyuk explained when Jinki commented on the full schedule, as indicated by the list of names and times hidden behind the desk. He didn’t try to pry but he caught a glimpse enough to notice there weren’t many empty spots.

‘I wonder if we should look into finding another,” he offered with a tilt of his head.

“Eh,” the younger man shrugged. “From what they’ve told me, the cold months are the hardest and thus the busiest,” he explained with a flippant wave of his bare hand. “It’s a good way to warm up but it’s more than that. The cold just makes people unhappy. It makes their hearts and their heads sick, so they come here.”

“That’s a very astute observation for you, Sanghyuk,” Jinki teased gently, pleased by the information and its source.

“Hey! I may not have gotten top marks in my classes, but I wasn’t _that_ bad,” the younger but taller man scowled playfully.

Jinki chuckled and nodded in agreement. “I know. Good job, Hyuk. If you wouldn’t mind, please let Gain know that I’d like to speak with her tomorrow if possible.”

“Will do!” Sanghyuk saluted energetically before he reached down to scribble a note so he wouldn’t forget. As Jinki turned to leave, he heard, “Do I need to keep this under the table? You know, jealous partners and all,” he asked in a completely conspiratorial tone.

“You-” Jinki scowled as he turned around to see Sanghyuk actually wink at him. “Brat!” he laughed, shaking his head and then shaking his finger at the young man.

Sanghyuk just shrugged it off and grinned. “You’re so easy, Jinki,” he teased, large smile in place as he gently waved the other man off.

“You’re lucky I like you,” Jinki commented as he waved and stepped back out into the cold. The open doorway had been covered with dual layers of heavy cloth to keep the worst of the cold out. They couldn’t really have official doors since Gain and other dragons needed to be able to get in and out, but it worked well enough for the time being.

And since he didn’t have any plans after that, he decided now was as good a time as any to touch base with as many Masters as he could. It would probably be best to start with Kibum and Jolin, since they were the History and Scribe Masters respectively. If anyone had any immediate information to corroborate their current findings, they most likely would.

Taekwoon was cold by the time he finally returned to his room, seething on the inside and just irritated and worn out. The door was a blissful barrier to the outside world and everyone in it, a particular person included. _Thanks for the help,_ he sent out to Jonghyun gratefully, careful to keep the underlying emotions from bleeding through.

_Our pleasure,_ he practically grinned back, though he too had swirling emotions carefully banked away from the forefront.

He wasn’t surprised that Ryeowook had made no attempt to reach out to him, being quite absorbed in the tomes in the library. But he was perturbed that Chaerin had insisted upon hounding him like a dog with a bone this evening. When he’d heard that Jinki was making the rounds of the Masters, he figured it would be a good chance for him to focus on finding any other runes that might have been overlooked. He’d started in the sleeping halls and, as expected, he’d found various other infertility runes. But he hadn’t been able to look much further when Chaerin came calling.

Her intentions might have been good, but he had no desire to speak with her in private. “Can we talk?” she’d asked.

“Not unless you’re going to tell me everything,” he’d answered, though the look on her face was more than obvious enough to show she wasn’t.

So he’d promptly headed outside. She had followed anyway. “Taekwoon…”

“We let you in. We’ve been training you as part of the bargain, Chaerin. Those were our signs of trust,” he explained, walking briskly away from her.

“It’s not that simple!” she snapped, following.

“Just because you’re on good behavior doesn’t mean you’re entitled to everything,” he added without looking back.

“You’re not saying everything,” she countered, clearly annoyed.

“In _my_ home, I don’t owe you everything.” He slowed enough to turn a dangerous, narrow eyed look at her. She stopped and flinched, realizing she may have overstepped.

_Trouble?_ his dragon asked, catching on to the exchange.

_Not trouble so much as one who shouldn’t be following me,_ he sighed, quite annoyed himself as he started walking again.

_Want help?_

_You’re not busy?_

_No. And mate would like to play anyway._

_Feel free,_ Taekwoon encouraged, setting his path and taking long steps that forced Chaerin to hurry to keep up.

“Taekwoon. Seriously…” she groaned before she yelped in surprise as a blue dragon came bounding past, chasing an imaginary something. “Hey!” she half-shouted, confused and mildly alarmed. “Yah!” she added as a copper dragon followed immediately after, sending her backpedaling in surprise. “That’s no fair, Taekwoon!” she shouted at his retreating back.

“I’m not doing anything,” he explained as he turned to shrug at her and then spun back around to continue walking. It was petty, he knew, but he really was glad that she wasn’t following him around anymore. And when she did get close again, having finally gotten around his dragons, they were able to give him a heads up. Fortunately, he was given enough time to find a couple more runes in expected places. The Healing Hall had quite a few – all positive as far as he could tell. Healing, fortitude, warding at the very front, peace, and certainly health. All things meant to help people recover faster or to remain in good health.

He did had to give Master Mimi and Healers Henry and Himchan an excuse as to why he was inspecting the Healing Hall though. Thinking on his feet in these settings was never his strong point, but when he mumbled something about looking for structural irregularities and pointed out one of the runes, it seemed to work. “We noticed a few of them the other day and Jinki wanted to make sure they weren’t anything we needed to really worry about,” he half lied.

Mimi at least accepted it. Strangely enough. “Just give us a little warning next time. It wouldn’t do to worry any of the patients we might have now would it?” he chastised gently before waving the younger man off. Henry and Himchan just looked at him strangely but shrugged and waved as he left. If Mimi wasn’t worried, then they weren’t either. Except maybe about him. But that was also par for the course.

Back in the Aerie courtyard, he couldn’t really see those that might be chiseled on the ground for the thin layer of snow that had stuck, but there were a couple near the stalls and at the front entrance. Good fortune, honesty, something he understood to equal expertise for both the leatherworker and blacksmith stalls. And on the front gates, there were runes of warding mostly. Staring at them longer, he got a sense that they were different wards. They looked very similar, even to his dragon sight, but the longer he stared, the more obvious the differences became. Wards against disease, death, famine, bad luck, bad fortune, danger, and such. All good and positive.

Those were all well and good but there was a pattern that was starting to emerge. In the room, he took the time to scour it for any signs of runes within and was relieved, at least for the moment, that he didn’t see any immediately. Nor did he feel any when he let his dragon senses take over. But that didn’t alleviate the concern of the pattern. For the general day to day affairs of the Aerie, most runes were beneficial and protective. But… when it came to places like the library and the shrine, and probably a few more places like the Aerie Masters’ offices, or even the Masters’ offices, there were additional runes of belief or command or obedience or… the infertility runes. It was like the whole thing was setup to keep the Aerie going but with certain checks or changes in place. Truly, it was hard to make sense of.

When Jinki returned, he agreed for the most part, with Taekwoon’s assessment. “The better question would be when these changes started happening. Do you think they were put in originally or was this something that has been adjusted over time?”

“I don’t know,” Taekwoon admitted with a frown. “The books make me think that they might have been here from the beginning. Landris mentioned no new life in his last entry.”

“Well, not ‘no’ new life, just not a lot. Not like there should be,” Jinki reminded him.

“But Ryeowook also said the runes take time for their power to be felt,” Taekwoon recalled, actively pacing in the small space of their room. “It’s possible that the runes were there in the beginning and only took time to really solidify.”

Jinki nodded and chewed on his bottom lip. “And let’s not forget about the five hundreds years since then.”

“Huh?” his other half blinked, tilting his head in mild confusion.

“Well, the history books we have now give us one accounting, but… there are no first hand books like the ones we found recently,” he reminded him. “The books did say there was a power shift after the dragon gods were bound. Before, the Kings were the highest powers, but after… the High Priests took precedence. More or less,” he amended with a grimace. The High Priests didn’t have any ruling power such as the Kings did, but they had a powerful grip on the masses in terms of belief.

“Do you think it’s possible they changed the histories?” Taekwoon asked, stopping in his tracks to stare at his other half.

“Given what we’ve seen, if we believe the books, I think it might be likely,” he admitted uncertainly, the weight of his words heavy and depressing.

“But why?” the rider asked, even though he had a pretty sickening idea of the answer. He just needed to hear it from someone else.

Jinki grimaced at the question. “Because if there is some deep dark secret the High Priests are hiding… if it became known, they might not have the power they do now. I mean, Master Kibum is always reminding us that those in power write what they want to be remembered for. We’ve seen it with various Kings in Kinshire’s history,” he added, raising one brow at Taekwoon when the dragonrider seemed a bit lost. “Did you honestly forget about that or were you just not paying attention?” he asked with an aggrieved sigh.

“Maybe both?” Taekwoon admitted with an apologetic shrug.

“Hopeless,” Jinki snorted, rolling his eyes.

“Yes, but let’s say you’re right,” he encouraged, moving close to sit down beside Jinki with his hands moving animatedly in front of him. “The first High Priests laid the groundwork for the new Aeries. Runes, histories, and whatever else they were trying to do. I’m not saying I liked what they did or the changes that may or may not have been made, but it worked. It had to have or it wouldn’t have lasted these past five hundred years. So what changed? What made things shift now?” he asked, very much confused.

“That is a good question, love,” Jinki admitted, lightly clasping his fingers together. “I mean, since the Dragon Wars ended, there have always been High Priests, Aerie Masters, Dragon Commanders, and Kings. They’re the quintessential leaders of a country, so to speak.”

“According to our history books, they haven’t really changed either, have they?” Taekwoon asked, trying to recall but giving up nearly immediately.

“I don’t think so,” Jinki admitted, laughing at Taekwoon’s willful academic weakness. “But I’m not positive. I haven’t reviewed that topic in a while and it might be a good idea to speak with Kibum again about it specifically.”

“Again?” the dragonrider asked.

“Mm. I spoke with him today to see if he knew about runes or an alternate history line for Bahamut but he didn’t have anything for me. Nor did Jolin for that matter. But I think he’d have more answers about this line of questioning,” he smiled with some relief. “It is, after all, within the realm of what we are traditionally taught.”

“True,” Taekwoon agreed with a small nod. “Any luck with Satoru?”

Jinki frowned and shook his head, though he answered in the affirmative. “He was acting strange again… but, he did say he trusted my judgement. I’m taking it as tentative permission regardless,” he assured the other man, nodding once as if to convince himself further.

“And Gain?”

“No such luck. The Paramours are quite busy right now,” he sighed, his face morphing quickly as if he had remembered something.

Taekwoon laughed at it but hummed to himself. “Strange. I usually have little trouble getting in to see her.”

Jinki made a face at him this time. “Maybe you just have good timing. Or perhaps she makes exceptions for you. After all, you did need _special training_ for quite a while,” he teased gently, flinching when Taekwoon reached out to shove his shoulder. “Ack!” he cried out, falling on the bed. “You have wounded me!”

Taekwoon scoffed at his theatrics. “Hardly,” he said, slapping his other half’s nearest thigh. He winced when it was harder and louder than he intended. “Sorry…” he cringed, rubbing the spot gently as Jinki gave him a mild glare.

“But in all seriousness,” Jinki sighed, sitting up and taking Taekwoon’s hand in his. “I don’t have much new information but I will be speaking with Gain tomorrow. And I will be starting on tearing down the mural to see what’s behind. How did you do?”

The dragonrider’s grimace was answer enough. “More runes everywhere and Chaerin was hounding me for a large part of the evening. Jonghyun and Jongup helped with keeping her… distracted,” he explained, laughing at Jinki’s suspicious look. “They didn’t hurt her. I don’t think,” he amended quickly.

_We did not,_ came the immediate clarification.

Relief was quick and welcome. “They didn’t,” he relayed to Jinki confidently. “But I also did not find any information. Not sure where to start really… We don’t have a lot of down time and it’s hard to get privacy when you want to speak one on one. Sometimes anyway,” he added. It wasn’t so bad in the warmer moons when they had more time in a day. The cold moons were just shorter and harder to get stuff done.

“Well, see what you can do. The more we can find out and prepare now, the less we have to worry about later. Bahamut knows we’ll have plenty if what we think is going to happen comes true,” he grimaced, tightening his grip on Taekwoon’s hand.

“I know, my heart,” Taekwoon sighed, nodding to himself. “I’ll figure something out. I promise.”

“I know you will, love,” Jinki smiled, patting the back of his other half’s hand before reaching up to thread a stray strand of hair out of his face. “Of that I have no doubt.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also fair warning, we're getting into territory where I'm working with NaNo writing. Hopefully, with a little time between updates, I'll be able to catch any major issues, but if I obviously miss something or something is just plain wrong, please feel free to let me know. haha Thank you!


	33. Mysteries to Unravel

Both Jinki and Taekwoon hit the ground running the following day. There was no immediate threat that they could see, but it felt as if the walls were closing in around them all the same. Especially since they seemed to have an alternative knowledge that few in the Aerie even imagined, Satoru and Eric notwithstanding. After they separated when they were finished with the morning meal, Jinki snagged Sanghyuk, Joy, and Amber, citing Aerie Master business, and led them to the front of the Aerie Master’s hall.

“This is different,” Amber commented with interest, though like her companions, she shivered in the cold morning air.

“Yeah. What’s up?” Sanghyuk asked, glancing across the way to the Paramour quarters as if their meeting from the other day might give him an answer he could figure out on his own.

“I need your help,” Jinki explained quietly, glancing around to make sure they weren’t immediately being watched or spied on. He didn’t think anyone, barring Chaerin and company, would spy on him exactly, but it didn’t hurt to be more cautious.

“Oh?” Joy asked, beating Sanghyuk to the prompt, a quick glance his way checking to see if he realized. He shared the look and frowned slightly, but shrugged.

“First, I need to know you three can keep this under wraps. Whatever we might find,” he cautioned, glancing around again.

“Are you getting into some kind of trouble?” Amber asked with a bemused glance, mischief dancing in her eyes.

“No!” he denied immediately, deflating when he realized she was teasing him. It was easy to see where Sanghyuk had learned it… “I have permission from the Aerie Master, but what we find might be… sensitive,” he explained hesitantly, not really sure what they’d find or if they would even understand the importance of it. Whatever it might be.

“Okay,” Joy nodded, glancing at her companions with a shrug. They mirrored her response and Jinki wasn’t sure it was an entirely reassuring response, but it was better than nothing.

“Alright,” he nodded once and glanced at the door. “You all probably know the mural in the Aerie Master’s foyer.”

“Right. The history of the Aerie and the end of the Dragon Wars,” Sanghyuk recalled, resting his arm nonchalantly on Joy’s shoulder. She shrugged her shoulder with a grimace but he simply grinned at her.

Jinki raised a brow. “Yes. Well, there’s likely another image behind it and we need to find out what it is. Without destroying it…” he added hurriedly when he noticed what could have been too much excitement in Sanghyuk’s eyes.

“Hmm… murals are tricky,” Amber hummed thoughtfully, thumbing at her lip. “I don’t know that we should try without someone that’s had a bit more experience with them.”

All three looked at her curiously. “Did you have someone in mind?” Jinki asked curiously.

“Actually,” she started with the barest of blushes. “Kibum has some experience in dealing with old historical things.”

“So it’s Kibum now?” Joy leaned over just enough to unsettle Sanghyuk’s arm, a knowing look on her face.

Amber reached out and smacked Joy lightly in the side before she added, “He’s not as good as an artifact collector, but given the people we have here, he’s probably one of the best we have.”

“Good to know,” Jinki smiled, amused by their ribbing. It was common knowledge that Amber had been partnering with Kibum recently but the former was still endearingly shy about being open with it. Unlike her partnering with Wonshik, most people hadn’t expected them to get together. “Would you mind seeing if he’d be available? You can also cite Aerie Master’s privilege. Well… in training if you have to be honest.”

“Eh,” she waved her hand at him and laughed once. “Knowing him, he’d hardly need an excuse to come and join in the fun with this. I’ll be back soon,” she promised, saluting them quickly and then jogging off to find the History Master.

“So. Shall we get started then?” Sanghyuk asked, looking at Jinki expectantly.

The Aerie Master in training sighed and chuckled once. “I suppose we can start chipping away at the hole that’s there already. If Master Satoru says anything, let me do the talking,” he added quickly before he turned to step inside.

“Eh?” Joy and Sanghyuk chirped in unison.

By midmorning’s practice, Taekwoon was more than warm in the indoor salle and like most of the riders that were practicing together, he was dripping sweat. Their combat maneuvers had been mostly hand to hand in the first part of their session and then climbing practice with some wall sparring just to add something more challenging. For Insoo’s wing anyway. While Taekwoon still hadn’t found a chance to speak to his Wing Leader alone, he figured now was as good a time as any.

Feigning a cramp he didn’t feel, he called out as he limped off to the side. “Soo!”

Like the good, involved Wing Leader he was, the equally sweat soaked Insoo came jogging over and gave him a brief assist. “You alright?” he laughed, knowing it was unusual for the other man to suffer from something so paltry. Or at least admit it.

“I will be,” Taekwoon promised, maintaining the ruse as he dutifully went through the motions of working out a stubborn cramp. “But if you’ve got a minute after practice, I need to speak to you,” he explained without looking at the other man.

Even so, he could feel the thoughtful speculation and dry amusement that came with the understanding he probably wasn’t actually hurt. “All you have to do is ask,” he snorted, smacking Taekwoon’s shoulder with his fist lightly.

“I did,” Taekwoon reminded him with a sidelong glance and the hint of a smile tugging at his mouth. He didn’t want to admit that asking a question directly could draw more attention to the fact he wanted to talk. At least under this guise, their conversation was… normal.

Insoo chuckled with a bright smile and nodded in reluctant agreement. “That you did. And yes, I’ve got time after practice. But if your cramp is better, go give me two more laps and a wall run,” he grinned, perversely amused by Taekwoon’s scowl.

“You’re so cruel,” he grumbled, reaching his hand out expectantly. Insoo raised a brow but accepted all the same and hauled him to his feet easily. “Thanks.”

“Yeah yeah,” the Wing Leader shook his head. “Off with you.”

“Yes, sir,” Taekwoon nodded and started off, moving slow at first as if he was testing his body and then picking up speed. He waved off the light hearted ribbing he got from his wing mates, but couldn’t ignore Chaerin’s eyes on him quite so well. The rest of the group was curious but she was… hawkish in her observance. Much like he’d treated her the other day. It was likely she suspected something and he would have to try hard not to give up the game.

When practice was over, he was well and truly tired, but as promised, Insoo was waiting for him at the entryway. “You wanted to talk?” he offered, warm smile lighting his face up.

Taekwoon nodded once and glanced around to be sure there were moderately alone. He didn’t like that Chaerin was still lingering nearby and he frowned slightly. “Could we step outside?” he asked, wrinkling his nose apologetically at the look he got in response. It was cold outside…

“Huh. Coming from you, yes,” Insoo conceded after a moment, glancing in the direction that Taekwoon had looked a moment ago.

It didn’t take them long to bundle up in their leathers again, though it was harder than usual being sticky with sweat. Cleaning them when they got that way was always harder but par for the course after sessions like this. Taekwoon hunched against the cold as they made the open air and then started moving them towards the dragon pens. _Heading your way,_ he called out to Jonghyun to let the dragon know.

_Understood,_ was the quick response, the tone sounding like the dragon was actively searching for him in that moment.

“So. What’s up?” Insoo asked, drawing abreast of the other man as he realized their direction.

“Have you heard any rumors about what’s been going on outside the Aerie?” Taekwoon asked as nonchalantly as he could.

“If you’re just worried about rumors, you could probably ask Dongwan or even Commander Eric,” he reminded him gently, shrugging his shoulders.

“I know,” he admitted with a nod, “but this is… different.”

“Hmm,” Insoo hummed as he took the question at face value and put thought into it. After a moment, he explained, “I only know what most of us know. We’ve got riders out on short patrols. More than usual,” he amended with a hand in the air. “They’ve sent two wings towards Talongrace and Bondsland, but we haven’t gotten much response back, beyond the fact that one wing was captured,” he frowned darkly. That spot still sat poorly with all of them. “And last I heard, there was some tension in Kokoshir but nothing confirmed,” he shrugged. “Why? Have you heard something else?” he asked carefully, pace slowing at the possible answer.

“Maybe,” Taekwoon confirmed with a glance at the Aerie Master’s office.

Insoo’s eyes widened as he connected the dots quickly and then looked at Taekwoon incredulously. “You mean Jinki-”

“Shh!” Taekwoon immediately hushed him, placing a finger to his own lips to call for silence. “You know as well as I do that he would never say anything unless it was _very_ important.”

“I know…” Insoo trailed off, his voice lowered, but his expression mildly alarmed. “So? What is the maybe?”

Taekwoon worked his jaw on the words, wondering just what he should say. “Know that this hasn’t been confirmed for sure, but if it’s true we need to be ready and I’m telling you because I think you might know best who to talk to with what information,” he explained quickly, shifting in place nervously. Jinki was always much better at this stuff.

“Of course,” Insoo nodded immediately as he clasped Taekwoon’s shoulder in his hand. “I appreciate your trust in me,” he added, patiently waiting for the information.

Taekwoon took a deep breath and carefully started relaying most of what they thought they knew. He received an alert from Jonghyun about Chaerin drawing near and urged them both to move closer to the dragons by walking slowly in their direction. Insoo was no fool and his eyes darted to the side once, checking his periphery, but he gave no other indication of knowing what was happening. Like Jinki, he listened attentively and then took a moment to think before he responded.

They were near their own dragons now, Jonghyun and Jongup tussling playfully nearby with Gunwoo watching them in mild amusement. “That is troubling news indeed. I can see why you might be worried and why none of the higher ups have told us about it. What do you expect me to be able to do?” he asked Taekwoon sincerely.

Unsure, the other rider shrugged and sighed. “I don’t know but I thought you might have more of an idea of what we _can_ do to at least start getting the other riders ready in case this comes to fruition. If we start getting sent off once the cold is over, we have to be ready. Even if we don’t, we have to have some sort of plan for what might happen. The more time we have to prepare, the better off we’ll be, whatever might happen.”

Insoo laughed softly, the sound dry and accepting as opposed to amused. “You’re not wrong. It’s just a lot of what-ifs at the moment. All the same, thank you for letting me know,” he murmured with a grateful nod. “I’ll pass the information to the other wing leaders at least and once they’ve had a chance to mull it over, we can start formulating strategies with what we have here. As well as for potential future events should we be separated.”

Relief was almost overwhelming. “Thank you,” Taekwoon exhaled quickly, swallowing hard and feeling foolish that it was almost as if he’d just finished fighting.

He was, however, caught off guard by the next question. “Any particular reason you’re avoiding Chaerin?”

Relief turned to tension immediately and he frowned. “I don’t trust her.” At Insoo’s nonplussed look, he exhaled and added, “I don’t have enough definite information about it yet, but I have my reasons,” he promised softly, eyes darting about to make sure she wasn’t there.

“You are a challenge to understand some days. A good rider, but a challenge,” Insoo admitted with dry amusement, nodding to himself. Taekwoon shrugged. He knew he wasn’t the easiest person, but it worked well enough for now. “Alright. Consider your mission accomplished. Now go get a bite before we get in the air. The sun’s out today so we’ll be flying soon enough,” he grinned, tossing an excited look in Gunwoo’s direction. The bronze preened at the attention, his talons digging into the ground before him as he seemed excited by the prospect. Fortunately for the dragons, the cold never bothered them quite as much as their riders.

“Yes, sir,” Taekwoon echoed again, looking to his own dragons in response. Jonghyun was watching him intently, the feeling of excitement clear if not the appearance. Jongup made no effort to hide his energy, prancing around with his wings partially open, ready to fly at a moment’s notice. He paused and started looking around though, as if something else had caught his attention.

“Interesting dragon,” Insoo murmured with a low chuckle. “Reminds me of Donghae with Hyoyeon.”

“Huh? Oh. Yeah,” Taekwoon agreed, turning to wave his Wing Leader off. He didn’t focus on Jongup again until the other rider was gone and his dragon in reluctant tow. Only then did Taekwoon focus on what had caught Jongup’s attention. He didn’t notice at first until Jonghyun nudged him in the right direction. “Fei…” he trailed off, seeing a gold dragon in the distance. She was watching them. He wasn’t sure why he knew it was Fei exactly, but he knew it.

_Not doing anything. Just watching,_ Jonghyun confirmed. He wasn’t looking at her, though Jongup was. It was likely they were sharing thoughts about her through their own personal connections.

_What does she want?_ Taekwoon asked, not really sure he’d get an answer.

_Don’t know. Should I ask?_ Jonghyun inquired, amber eyes shifting to look directly at his rider.

Taekwoon frowned and waved at his dragon dismissively. _No._ Then he thought about it and his mind crossed back to Chaerin. She wasn’t talking much but would her dragon…? _Maybe…_ he admitted, surprising the copper at least a little bit. _Though not right now,_ he amended. There was still too much they had to do without having to try and wrestle with other unknowns just now.

_Okay._

He gave his dragon another side eyed look and then snorted. “I think you’ve been watching the Aerie runners a bit much,” he muttered, not sure if he was learning to be cheeky or just was and was finally getting comfortable enough to manage it with him. Either way, it was a good thing, if a little annoying for Taekwoon. But he had other things to worry about now, like the afternoon meal.

“This is extraordinary!” Kibum exclaimed for the umpteenth time as he stared at just the little bit of the mural they’d uncovered. The Master Historian, as Amber had surmised, was eager to help, but painstakingly slow in his process and directions. While Sanghyuk would have taken a hammer to the mural, almost literally, Kibum had insisted they use tiny chisels and that they make a copy of the mural before they started removing it. “Regardless of whatever is beneath it, this is something that must be preserved,” he explained with the utmost confidence.

Amber just nodded in agreement, but since none of them were good at drawing – they all knew how to write, but this was different – that was how the Master of Geography, Sandara, had ended up in their midst. “Don’t chisel that piece yet!” she scowled, face marred with coal smudges as she eyed the picture and frantically tried to make a correction to the image. Her horsetail kept her dark brown hair out of her face so the marks were especially obvious and the tightness of the tail gave her a fairly severe look at just that moment.

“You’re drawing too slow,” Kibum groaned with a glare at her, his own clothes and face marred by flecks of colored stone and dust from the mural pieces they’d already removed. At their exchange, Jinki shared a look with Sanghyuk and Joy who seemed just as frustrated as him. For her part, Amber was fully content to watch Kibum work and seemed in no hurry one way or the other.

“You can’t rush these things and you’ve barely given me a mark to actually do what you asked me to do,” she grumbled, not looking up this time as she committed the etching to the page.

Achingly slow pace aside, Jinki had to admit that it _was_ extraordinary so far. They had started right around where the original crack was and, except for one interruption by Satoru who had curiously pretended not to notice them at all once he realized what they were doing, they were making steady, albeit minimal progress. As they’d originally suspected, the silver color was from Bahamut, but unlike the mural, this one was lying down. Maybe sleeping? Or… Jinki thought it was more likely he was bound.

“What are we looking at, Jinki?” Sanghyuk asked as Joy came up to shadow him while they all stared at the revealed picture beneath.

“I’m not sure, but it’s probable that the mural underneath is going to show an alternate ending to the Dragon Wars,” he mused softly, nibbling on his bottom lip.

“Really?” Joy gasped, blinking at him in astonishment.

“Do you think it’s a history mural then?” Sanghyuk asked, pointing at the bit of the image they could see.

“It makes sense.”

“Amber. Could you help me clear this away?” Kibum asked as he nudged at the rubble beneath his feet while he worked at another spot despite Sandara’s objections.

“On it!” Amber answered, moving close to pick up the pieces around Kibum before she stayed close, watching him work with careful diligent hands. Of course, the dust made her sneeze and she stepped back to compose herself.

“Why would there be another history under this one though?” Joy wondered, brushing her fingers against Jinki’s shoulder to catch his attention.

“That is a good question,” he assured her, nodding along. He didn’t want to offer his theory yet. Not until they had a better idea of the image, but if it proved true, he would be happy to enlighten them. Until then, they were chasing shadows.

“Would you stop!?” Sandara growled, snapping at Kibum once more, making everyone flinch.

“Okay,” Jinki stepped in with his hands raised. “Perhaps we should take a break for now and get a better plan for proceeding forward,” he encouraged, not willing to deal with this for the entire process.

Sandara and Kibum glared at each other and then both took a breath at the same time. “That is probably a good idea,” he admitted, carefully setting his chisel back into the pouch he’d brought with him.

“Agreed,” Sandara sighed in relief, glancing down at her scroll again and making another correction with a careful motion.

“This is obviously going to take some time so why don’t we approach this in shifts?” Jinki suggested. “Unless you’ve got something pressing this afternoon, could you stay and get a head start, Master Sandara?” he asked, prioritizing getting the record down first.

She didn’t react initially, finishing her sketch, but then the question registered and she nodded automatically. “I can shuffle my schedule easily enough. Most of the students have been sleeping anyway,” she shrugged in helpless frustration.

Jinki winced sympathetically. Geography was a fascinating subject but it could be challenging to remember all the places at the early stages. “So, if you’re alright with having the mornings, Master Kibum,” he started, waiting for the follow up from the older man.

“Like Sandara, my schedule is… flexible. And,” he nodded begrudgingly in agreement, “the students have been struggling to stay focused. It is not uncommon during this time of the year,” he shrugged with a mild eye roll.

In the corner of his eye, Jinki saw Sanghyuk and Joy exchange laughably incredulous looks. With a small hand gesture, he motioned for them to stop, or at least tone it down, and then started speaking again, “Good. So for now, we will take a break except for Master Sandara. We can check with you later or on the morrow to confirm your progress and in the morning, Master Kibum can continue with removing the mural. Are we in agreement?” he asked, glancing between the Masters expectantly.

“That is agreeable to me,” Kibum confirmed with a small bow. Sandara made no actual comment but she grunted in response and continued her drawing efforts.

“Wonderful. Sanghyuk. Joy. Could you please help clean up the mess and return the tools,” he spoke, the question more of a gentle command.

They wrinkled their noses briefly but then nodded and mumbled together, “Yes, sir.”

“Thank you.” Jinki waited for a few more breaths to make sure everything started to move the way he needed it to and then took his leave. He needed to grab a bit of food first and then he could swing by Gain’s room to speak with her. At least as far as Sanghyuk had told him anyway.

Flying drills had gone longer than expected and as such, the dragonriders missed the majority of the usual afternoon meal time. For Taekwoon, that meant he also missed Jinki, but though he wanted to see what he’d found, he knew there would be time later to discuss it. For now, he needed a soak to ward off the cold and ease out the soreness from practice. Jonghyun and Jongup had loved it. They were still elated from the maneuvers, gratifyingly. And they’d flown well, to be honest.

It was also obvious Chaerin’s wing was coming along nicely in turn. They’d never be as skilled perhaps as an Aerie wing – their connections just weren’t as strong, but they were learning quickly. At least in the air, everyone focused on what they were supposed to be doing and not on each other. No one was willing to risk their dragons on stupid mistakes from not paying attention.

And by the looks he was seeing and sometimes getting from the handful of riders in the hall, it appeared that Insoo had already started his information distribution. He worked fast…

Taekwoon was just about to head for the hot pools when a tall, thin runner – oh right, Junhong – came to deliver a note for him. “Message for you,” he explained, handing off the neatly rolled scroll.

“Oh?” Jungkook blinked in curious surprise as he leaned closer. “Who’s it from?” he asked, glancing between Taekwoon and the nervously shifting messenger.

“Master Healer Mimi,” he mumbled to Taekwoon, even though Jungkook was the one that had asked.

“What’s it say?” Jinyoung asked, leaning closer to try and see.

They all knew better than to try and snatch the scroll away to find out and even if it wasn’t Taekwoon’s message, they wouldn’t have anyway. The riders were playful but they weren’t usually rude. “Thank you, Junhong,” Taekwoon smiled, letting the boy know he could go. He chirped in acknowledgement, curly hair bouncing with the motion, and then hurried off. “Let’s see,” he sighed, opening the note carefully.

“Well?” Jinyoung prompted, annoyed because he was on the other side of the table and couldn’t see it.

“Mimi wants to see him,” Jungkook summarized before Taekwoon could answer.

“Jungkook,” he grumbled with a sidelong look.

“What? He does,” the slightly older rider shrugged innocently.

“Any idea why?” Wooyoung asked, still lingering close. Insoo and Taeyeon had already departed and Chaerin’s group was sitting a little further down. They were also a bit scattered as well, so Taekwoon didn’t have to really worry about who overheard.

“I don’t,” he admitted with a confused look. “But I better go find out,” he nodded, sidestepping the hot pools plan. He was more curious than anything else. It was unusual for any of the Masters, barring Seunghyun, to summon him.

“Good luck,” Jinyoung waved, prompting a confused shrug from Taekwoon. “You never know,” the other rider answered honestly enough.

Taekwoon snorted as he left, listening to their theories before he got too far out of range. He highly doubted there was a sickness going around that he could somehow help. Foolish riders. Stepping into the cold, the wind bit especially hard after the kitchen warmed atmosphere of the dining hall. “Ugh…” he groaned, trudging across the Aerie grounds quickly to reach the Healing Hall as fast as possible. “Master Mimi?” he called when he stepped inside, stomping his boots in the entryway to get rid of most of the clinging snow and mud.

“Back here,” came the calm but muted response. Apparently he was in the back.

“It’s Taekwoon. You wanted to see me sir?” he called, not sure if he should go to the Healer or not. He always felt strange about being in the healing areas. They were good spaces but they often conjured memories of injuries… and healing. But he’d been here more often than he cared to admit.

“That was fast,” the taller man chuckled as he came shuffling out, wrapped in a robe and blanket as he did so. At Taekwoon’s curious glance, he explained, “My office is always cold. We keep the patient areas nice and warm but the stone walls suck all the heat out of my personal space.”

“Ah,” the rider nodded in understanding. That happened a fair bit in the living quarters too, personal brazier notwithstanding.

For a moment, the Healer looked at him as if working out a puzzle. It wasn’t exactly uncomfortable but it didn’t help Taekwoon understand why he was here. “The other day, you came in here asking about these markings,” he explained, stepping close to the one that meant healing. It was the most common one etched into the walls and floors of this space. Though not always in obvious places.

“Yes,” Taekwoon nodded slowly, not sure what the relevance was.

Mimi scratched at his face and exhaled forcefully through his slightly larger nose. “I always forget they’re here. And if you ask Henry or Himchan about them, most of the time they have no idea. They pass by them, we all do, all the time without a second thought. And yet… you came in the other day specifically looking at them.” Taekwoon blinked at him with a blank expression, guarded and unsure. “What do they mean?” the Healer asked sincerely, something weighing on him.

Taekwoon chewed the inside of his lip as he weighed his answer. He didn’t have to tell the whole backstory but he could at least answer honestly. “They’re runes,” he murmured as his hands gestured in front of him, not sure how else to explain them. “That one’s healing,” he added with a nod at the rune next to Mimi.

“How do you know that?” he wondered softly, head tilting to the side.

Should he tell him about the book? Maybe not… “Ryeowook. He’s one of the newer riders with Chaerin’s group. He studied runes before he became a rider. He’d noticed a few around the grounds and we were just looking into them,” he explained, trying to be honest but also nonchalant. There was a bit more to it than that but he didn’t know if he should explain more to Master Mimi. As a Healer, it might be a good idea, since if there was fighting, he’d be handling most of the injuries…

“I feel like you’re hiding something…” he sighed, catching his chin between his fingers thoughtfully. He openly deliberated about saying anything and then took a seat on the nearest chair and stared at Taekwoon thoughtfully. “I’ve seen something like this once before. But I, like everyone else I know here, forget these… runes exist. Or at least we don’t notice them unless they’re specifically pointed out. If I’d waited until the morrow to call you, I probably would have let it slip from my mind. I almost forgot why I called you here,” he admitted with a slightly pained look on his face.

“What do you…?” Taekwoon hesitantly trailed off, not sure what he expected.

“How can you notice them?” the Healer asked directly, a hunger for the answer in his eyes.

“I don’t know much about runes,” he explained, which was true enough, “but because of my… Symbiosis,” he hesitated, avoiding the word binding, “sometimes I can see things as a dragon might.”

“Fascinating,” Mimi blinked in astonishment. “And the newcomers? They can do this too?” he asked, mind turning quickly now.

“No,” he shook his head with a slight frown. “I think they can see them because they’re new. The runes haven’t had a chance to really work on them yet. At least, that’s what Ryeowook thinks based on his knowledge of runes.”

“Huh,” he hummed, dropping his gaze to the floor as he mulled something over.

By his body language, it was quite obvious he was wrestling with himself. Taekwoon knew all about that, but there had to be more here. “You said you’d seen these once before,” he reminded the other man, gently prodding at the topic.

“Yes,” Mimi agreed softly, almost lost in memory. “The Healer in me says I should not tell you, but the man in me is curious. The Healer is too, seeing as everyone’s memory seems to be affected by these runes…” he trailed off uncertainly.

Taekwoon realized he was grappling with the same dilemma that Jinki had had the other day. He knew he shouldn’t press, but now that the other man had mentioned it, he was equally curious. He’d never paid any attention to the runes growing up and the fact that Mimi had seen them at some point meant they were noticeable. How…? “Most of the runes I’ve seen are helpful. They are obviously meant to protect and keep the Aerie running smoothly. But… there are some that are… questionable,” he added intentionally.

Mimi nodded in understanding and his gaze drifted away again as his fingers rose to trace against his forearm distractedly. He took a small breath and started talking as if walking through a memory. “I was little more than a new trainee in the Healing Hall at the time. I’d never seen runes before, so imagine my surprise when a man came in with them carved into his skin. Only… I’m not so sure. My predecessor handled the injury and I only saw them in passing. So much blood and ugly wounds,” he frowned, brows drawn harshly at the conjured image. “Self inflicted, if I remember correctly,” he exhaled slowly, letting the memory fade. “But I know I saw marks that at least looked like these,” he stated firmly, nodding at the rune beside him.

“Who was the man?” Taekwoon asked, not entirely without guesses.

The Healer’s smile then was bitterly coy. “Now that would be saying more than the Healer in me can abide,” he chuckled. “Though I will say it is not uncommon to try and hide such ugly scars,” he added softly, fingers tracing his forearm again without looking at Taekwoon.

“I see,” Taekwoon murmured, thinking maybe he did but he would have to run it by Jinki first to be sure. “Thank you for your story, Master Mimi,” he bowed, feeling uncertain and out of place in the doorway.

“Thank you for coming, Taekwoon. Bahamut watch over you,” he smiled, offering the familiar and normally reassuring utterance. Now it just made Taekwoon nervous but he didn’t allow that to show. Instead, he nodded acknowledgement and turned to leave.

As he stepped back into the cold air, he barely felt it this time. Instead, he sent a thought to Jonghyun. _Is there anyone you know that always wears sleeves in all weather, no matter what?_

 _Huh? Strange question,_ the copper responded, not entirely following the conversation.

_Healer Mimi._

 _Ah. Well…_ he trailed off, clearly uncomfortable with the possibility that presented itself.

_Exactly,_ he sighed, mouth twisting on the thought. The only people that came to mind immediately were Aerie Master Satoru and High Dragon Commander Eric. Satoru always wore double sleeves, his robes and the arm coverings beneath them, and Eric traditionally wore a long sleeved uniform. And they never bathed with any of the other members, as per their privilege.

_Troubling,_ his dragon commented, obviously relaying information to Jongup.

_Indeed,_ Taekwoon agreed softly, feeling like this just kept getting bigger and bigger. It scared him.

_We are beginning to worry too._ He was mildly comforted by the agreement, but it only served to reinforce his concern. Now he definitely needed to talk to Jinki.


	34. No Good Answers

There wasn’t much for Jinki to do in the afternoon beyond wait for his time to meet up with Gain. After he’d gotten a bite to eat, he did stop by Satoru’s office just to make sure he wasn’t needed or that nothing had changed. Not entirely unexpectedly, the Aerie Master waved him off without much comment and it left Jinki conflicted. He wasn’t being reprimanded for the mural project but it felt almost like Satoru was perhaps keeping him away now. Considering he’d been speaking with him more of late, that just felt odd.

All the same, it was another thing he opted not to focus on in lieu of actual concerns around the Aerie. Speculation was fine but it didn’t help give hard answers in the immediate future. So he made a brief run around the perimeter, checking on the various guards and patrols as he bided his time. Most were cold but content, curled close to their dragons as they shared body heat and watched for signs of anything beyond the walls. Pausing to look in the distance, Jinki frowned at a particularly noticeable and ominous looking cloud bank slowly heading their way. If it stayed the course, they were likely in for some more snow before too long…

A particularly cold blast of wind made him shiver and he hunched against it, moving into the shrine to escape the worst of it. The small room was always quiet and often empty, occupied only by the relief of Bahamut rising elegantly from the pedestal he was mounted upon. Dim light pervaded the interior and revealed the neutral browns of the furniture and the dull silver of the walls – the color of Bahamut himself. Standing in that space, Jinki really had to wonder if the dragon himself was nearby…

“Oh,” a surprised murmur escaped from nearby as a lump of cloth shifted to turn a tired face his direction.

For a moment, Jinki was just as surprised and completely confused. At least until the features made sense and he recognized the worn visage of Bahamut Priest Junsu. That’s right… he had remained here in lieu of continuing his traveling. Given the weather and his condition upon arrival, it made sense. “Priest Junsu,” he bowed slightly and smiled, still clearly able to see the lines of privation etched into the other man’s face. He was getting better, but it was a slow process. More troubling was that his mind, or perhaps it was his spirit, was taking longer to mend. “I did not mean to disturb you,” he murmured apologetically.

The older man shook his head with a gentle smile. “You didn’t. All are welcome here, child of Bahamut,” he assured him, gesturing with a thin hand for Jinki to join him if he wished.

As he didn’t have anywhere he needed to be just yet and it was warm inside, that seemed like a good idea. “Are you well today?” he asked as he wandered close and took a seat gingerly.

“The cold makes me ache, but this place gives me peace,” he answered easily, sighing in contentment.

“I’m glad,” Jinki responded, holding the priest’s eyes for a moment.

He didn’t know what else to say so they sat in companionable silence until Junsu broke it. “I’m always surprised by how things turn out once you’ve walked down the path a ways,” he murmured, gaze fixed on the Bahamut statue as he clasped his hands in his lap.

“What do you mean?” Jinki prompted, curious.

The Priest’s lips turned up into a small smile and he tilted his head to the side. “I meet so many people on the roads and in the villages and cities I travel to. Some I remember and others are lost to time and memory. I’ve always found children to be the easiest to recall. Even when they’re grown and accomplished,” he mused, glancing at Jinki meaningfully. “It’s not common for one to wish to become an Aerie Master and yet, here you are. Well on your way,” he chuckled, the hint of a shadow in his eyes.

“I’ve a ways to go yet, but I’m happy with how things have happened over time,” he assured him, nodding once to emphasize the point.

“Truly, I am glad to hear that Jinki,” the Priest smiled, reaching a hand out to press against the younger man’s shoulder. “Yet, I fear you have chosen an exceptionally challenging path.”

The words sent a small chill up Jinki’s spine, but he moved to wave them off. “No more challenging than many other roles,” he offered, though none specifically came to mind.

Junsu chuckled and shook his head. “You are thinking of someone in particular, are you not?” When Jinki didn’t immediately answer, he went on anyway. “No. Aerie Master is a good position. Honest and important work. But… there are certain people they must work with,” he frowned, expression darkening as he looked away, back towards the statue.

“Well, I know that Master Satoru corresponds with the King of Kokoshir and he maintains contacts with the leaders of the sister cities,” Jinki explained, hand gesturing fluidly in the air.

“And the Bahamut High Priest…” Junsu whispered, his voice barely audible even in the silence of the room.

“True,” Jinki confirmed, the hairs on the back of his neck standing up.

Dark eyes slid over to look at him more directly and Junsu whispered again, “Be careful around him, Jinki. He is not to be entirely trusted,” he warned, pain washing over his face.

“We don’t know that-” he started to try and offer some solace or comfort to what he knew Junsu had to be referring to, but the Priest cut him off, grabbing his arm with a surprisingly strong hand.

“Don’t trust those he can control. Inside is usually safe, but beyond… he has many eyes,” Junsu warned with a shiver.

“I don’t understand,” Jinki apologized with a shake of his head. He was honestly lost and it seemed as if Junsu was having some kind of episode. Master Mimi mentioned that he might drift off like so from time to time, but he honestly didn’t know.

Junsu just looked at him for a long moment, dark eyes unblinking. But then he seemed to realize what he was doing or saying and his face softened. He gasped slightly and released Jinki’s arms with an abashed expression. “My apologies. I just worry,” he muttered, looking down at his hands as he pulled his Bahamut token out to rub between his fingers.

“It’s alright. We all worry sometimes,” Jinki soothed, pressing his hand gently against the older man’s back.

“You are very kind,” the Priest smiled, giving him a tired sidelong look.

“Thank you for sharing your time with me,” Jinki smiled, nodding at the other man as he slowly got up to head out.

“But honestly, Jinki. Take care,” he called out as the younger man stepped away. “I would hate to see something bad happen to you as well,” he frowned, brows creased in concern.

“I’ll try,” he offered hesitantly, feeling a definite chill sink into him. The outer cold matched the inner and he stepped away from the shrine as quickly as he could. Of all the conversations he could have had, that was not one he’d been expecting. It didn’t help that he already didn’t trust the High Priest anymore and that conversation was far more unsettling. Since he really didn’t want to risk any other kind of strange encounter, he opted to make his way for the Paramour’s Quarters and figured he’d wait if he had to. At least they were a relatively safe zone. Gain and Heechul made abundantly sure of that.

Stepping into the large space was like a balm of another kind. Whereas Bahamut’s Shrine was usually spiritually calming, this place was… like stepping into a warm blanket. It was comforting, so long as you accepted it for all the possibilities: mind, spirit, and body.

One of the older runners was on shift duty today. He checked in with her to confirm how much longer it might be and then maintained a steady flow of normal conversation. It helped wash away the strange words he’d exchanged with the priest and started to return him to a sense of balance.

“Ah. Gain should be free shortly,” she commented as they noticed a black dragon emerging from the gold’s cave.

“Oh,” Jinki murmured, frowning slightly at the black. They were easier to tell apart by their demeanors but this one was subdued and that made it challenging. Though… ah. Yep. There was the scarring on the wing. Krystal. He wondered what she was doing here and if there was any concern between her and Jongin. She glanced at him when she got to the doorway, shaking her horned head in a motion that traveled down the rest of her length, and then stepped out into the cold, brushing past the heavy cloths with ease.

“Are you ready for your next visitor?” the runner asked, drawing Jinki’s attention back to the cave entrance. In it stood Gain, her golden eyes fixed on him steadily, unreadable. She inhaled once, flicked her tail and then nodded before turning around and heading back inside. “Well, there you have it. After you,” she urged, gesturing for Jinki to follow along.

“Thank you,” he shrugged, jogging lightly to catch up. As always, stepping into Gain’s room was almost like coming home. And not in the sense of coming home to Taekwoon, but rather like that of a mother instead. Considering the service she offered to some, that might be a strange comparison, but for him, she always felt like an older and wiser matriarch. If she was so inclined, it felt like she always had the answers. He was hoping for that today actually. Or at least insight.

They went through their normal routine of settling in and entering Trance. He slipped into that space easily and found Gain in her usual, clothed guise, though she was pacing this time, almost as if she was waiting for him. Looking up at his arrival, she smiled and nodded, “Good. You’re here.”

“Thank you for meeting with me,” he started first, offering a polite bow.

“I’m glad you could come,” she smiled, conjuring a table with a wave of her hand. “Please,” she offered, sliding into the nearest chair as she waited for him to do so as well.

“What was it you wanted to talk about?” he asked, folding his hands on top of the table.

She didn’t answer immediately, her pretty brows furrowed over liquid golden eyes. “To my great frustration, I’m not entirely sure,” she admitted, twisting her mouth in irritation.

“Oh?” Jinki hummed, not expecting that.

“Something… is strange,” she explained hesitantly. “Perhaps not wrong, but it feels as if there is something odd. Somewhere,” she sighed, tapping her nails on the table.

Jinki laughed nervously and shrugged. “That is a very vague claim.”

At his comment, she laughed and nodded in understanding. “My apologies. I suppose I should add a bit more information here, shouldn’t I?” she asked rhetorically. For a long while, the gold simply stared into the distance, weighing whether this or that was worth talking about. “I suppose I should start with Wonshik,” she shrugged at last, settling on a direction.

“Wonshik? Is he alright?” Jinki asked immediately, jumping to everything he knew about his friend at the moment. He didn’t look sick or in trouble… And he hadn’t mentioned anything recently either so…

“He’s fine,” Gain promised in a voice that indicated she had no doubts about that. “He is not my concern. At least not directly,” she corrected, eyes narrowed. Jinki waited for her to go on as he didn’t know what to ask yet. “It’s more of a feeling he brings with him. It is something he did not have before he became a rider and it sits wrong with me,” she mused.

“Is it something about his dragon?” he asked now, since that was the only thing that had really changed.

Again, she laughed and shook her head. “Ken is a unique dragon. There is nothing wrong with him either,” she confirmed. “I’ve spoken with Andy and the Commander and they agree that nothing is particularly amiss with him. Or Taemin and JR. They’ve acclimatized well to Aerie life and their riders.”

“But…” Jinki prompted, sensing there was something left unsaid.

“But there is something about them that makes my skin itch,” she grumbled, perturbed by the admission. “It’s a strange tingling sensation that reminds me of when I was bound, but different.”

“Bound?” Jinki echoed, making sure he’d heard her correctly.

“Yes,” she nodded, crossing her arms over her chest and drumming her fingers against her biceps.

Jinki paused to think for a moment more and then offered carefully, “Do you think it feels like magic?”

Gain blinked in surprise, not really expecting the question. Her golden eyes glanced down at her crossed arms and she took a deep breath as if she was thinking about something, or perhaps making a connection she had missed somewhere along the way. “What makes you think it might be magic?” she wondered at last, eyes narrowed but thoughtful.

With Gain at least, Jinki had little qualms about divulging information. “Because we’ve recently read a couple books that have mentioned magic and I believe it may well be… here,” he explained with a hesitant shrug. If runes weren’t magic, then he didn’t know how else to explain them. At least not with where he suspected their power and effectiveness came from.

“Where have you seen such magics?” she wondered softly, relaxing her arms as she leaned towards him over the table.

“There are runes around the Aerie,” he answered, gesturing out towards the space beyond. “Taekwoon has been looking for them and according to Jonghyun, they’re supposedly dragon writing.”

“Dragon writing?” she echoed in surprise, brows rising high on her forehead. “We have no such thing.” Jinki shrugged helplessly. He knew that, but all he could do was relay what he’d been told. “Show me,” she encouraged, waving her hand as if to dismiss them both.

If that look in her eyes was any indication, he knew they wouldn’t be doing much talking otherwise so Jinki nodded and allowed himself to be pushed out of Trance. The runner was quite surprised when they emerged together and actually left the Paramour’s quarters, but she didn’t try to stop them. For her part, Gain was singularly focused and quite close to Jinki, which he would normally be at least slightly concerned about, but the heat from her body was nice and… he trusted the gold dragon almost implicitly.

The easiest ones to show her were the ones along the walls. As she stared at the markings, he felt a definite shift in her demeanor. It was almost as if she was affronted by the writing. It was equally clear she wanted to ask him something but without a connection of their own or Trance, such a thing was mostly impossible. But her body language was clear enough when Jinki figured out she wanted to see more, so he took her on a quick tour of the places they’d visited, pointing out the ones he knew. Unlike the first time, her demeanor did not change, but she seemed to feel unsettled.

When they’d exhausted the runes he knew about, they returned to the Paramour quarters to talk again. This time, Gain was well and truly agitated, pacing in fast circles. The sky was a muddy gray as well, reflecting her inner tumult. “How long have they been here?” she asked as soon as Jinki returned.

“We aren’t sure,” he admitted, watching her intently. “We think they might have been written in at the founding of the Aerie but there’s some debate on that point.”

She rolled tense shoulders and took a couple more laps before she paused and forced herself to calm down. “You are right about them being dragon writing,” she confirmed with a slow, confused nod.

“How do you know that?” the Aerie Master in training wondered. Taekwoon hadn’t been able to explain it all that well for him when Jonghyun mentioned it so if Gain could, he would be much happier knowing.

Her lips pursed and she blinked a couple times as she tried to make sense of what she was thinking. “It’s a feeling. A knowing. Like recognizing a part of yourself,” she finally murmured, hands moving lightly in front of her like she was trying to draw the words out. “I have never seen them before but I understand without understanding.” She touched her head gently, gaze losing focus. “The knowing is easy, but it feels… disconnected. Weak. Like something is missing or that something has been put in the way. A barrier or block of some kind,” she frowned, shifting in place uncertainly as the answers eluded here.

“How are you able to feel or understand all that from a single look?” Jinki asked, slightly doubtful but mostly incredulous and impressed. “Jonghyun could barely explain the basics.” He wasn’t annoyed with the dragon, just surprised by their vast differences in abilities.

At last Gain was in more comfortable territory and she smiled in light amusement. “Jonghyun is more dragon than man. More so than most here, given the nature of their Symbiosis. He thinks more like a dragon. Reasons and understands more like a dragon. My Symbiosis was different, binding me more to the rider than the reverse. As such, I think more like a human. And lest you forget, much of my time is spent in Trance with people and dragons. I get more practice than most with understanding both human and dragon thought patterns.”

“Ah,” Jinki hummed in mildly embarrassed understanding. He couldn’t fault her explanation though. Jonghyun didn’t seem to much care for Trance if he could help it. “So,” he urged, nudging the conversation back towards their original topic. “Does what you feel around Wonshik or Ken feel at all like the runes?”

The dragon was silent for a long moment, her expression turning inward and reflective. “It is possible,” she sighed at last, chewing on the inside of her lip. “I would need to speak with Wonshik or Ken again to be sure, but… they do feel familiar.”

“And what about Taemin and… JR?” he asked, struggling to recall their names. Recalling all the dragons was a challenge but these were easier since they were the newest and had been gifted by the High Priest. Remembering that connection made him a little nervous at least.

Gain gave a barely perceptible nod. “They do not seek to share my company but we have flown together enough for me to realize that something is… different?” she wondered aloud. “It is not obvious and when they first arrived, I did not notice. But… there is something. I just do not know what,” she admitted, well and truly frustrated.

“If nothing else, thank you for letting me know. I’m not sure what I will be able to do, but I will keep an eye on them. Have you asked Captain Yunho or Dragon Master Dongwan to watch them as well?” he wondered, just for the sake of making sure.

She gave him a look that was bemused, but nodded all the same. “Yunho is busy with patrols for the most part, so Hero is not much help there, but Dongwan confirmed he would have Minwoo ask among the dragons. Still, the more eyes we have, the better,” she shrugged, taking a small breath.

“Agreed,” Jinki smiled, the expression a bit forced. “Is there anything else I might be able to assist you with though?” he offered since he was here and had no immediate plans after this.

“No,” she shook her head slowly, but her gaze turned thoughtful as she rested golden eyes on him. “Might I ask the same of you? You have helped me in a way I did not understand was possible today and I would return the favor if I could.”

Jinki flushed at the praise and ducked his head. “I merely did my duty as the Aerie Master in training, Lady Gain. You are quite kind to offer, but I have no pressing issues today.”

“Perhaps another day then,” she responded, ignoring his self-deprecation.

“I will think about it.” He honestly didn’t have anything at the moment, but there was nothing to say he might not in the future. “Thank you again,” he bowed, ready enough to depart for the day. With a pleased smile, she gently waved him off, careful in her handling of him as she ended the Trance session.

Neither Jinki nor Taekwoon were particularly happy with the progress they’d made when they finally reconvened later in the evening. Taekwoon was glad to see him though, especially since he did have a fair bit of info he wanted to go over with the other man. They managed to catch the evening meal together and he saw Jinki make sure to speak with Amber, Joy, and Sanghyuk specifically before they settled in for their meal. He was going to have to confirm that later, but now was the time for food. Training had been quite hard in the afternoon and the incoming cold front had well and truly worn him out. Even Jonghyun and Jongup were more tired than usual from the effects of the cold.

Per Jinki’s privilege, he chose to sit with the riders and that meant Taekwoon in turn. “How’d your day go?” he asked, pushing a plate of food towards the rider first as he nodded at the other riders. Glancing around, Taekwoon could see they all looked worn out and tired.

“Not bad,” he confirmed, shrugging lightly to keep the tone easy. Insoo’s words had been making the rounds and there was movement from Jinki’s side as well, but it just felt slow. “You?” he wondered around a mouthful of lean meat. Huh. They had been cutting back already.

“About the same,” he answered easily enough, leaning over when Wooyoung asked him a question. He politely answered and then came back to continue his discussion. “We’ve got a fair bit to talk about though.

“Agreed,” the rider hummed with a meaningful look. He couldn’t go into it here, but his meeting with Mimi had been… curious indeed.

They played nice with the riders for a bit longer, making small talk – well, Jinki made the small talk and Taekwoon listened, before they left when the meal started to wind down. He was mildly surprised Chaerin hadn’t tried to make a pass at him for questions or answers but it was nice not having to fend her off for once. As they’d been doing, they retreated to their shared room to settle in for the night, finding the privacy of the space helpful in unwinding and speaking of useful information.

He didn’t have much to say but he was curious how Jinki’s efforts had gone so Taekwoon asked first. “What did you happen to find out today?” As expected, he got to hear about how his other half had pulled the three from the dining hall into helping him, along with Masters Kibum and Sandara. He thought Satoru’s appearance was odd, or rather his reaction was, but bit his tongue on saying anything. Jinki knew him better than most so if he had nothing else to add on for it, he wasn’t going to ask yet. On the other hand, he wasn’t really expecting to hear anything about Junsu, which was more than a little surprising, and the information from Gain was also… troubling. “We need to be able to trust our riders,” he mused hesitantly, biting on his bottom lip.

“She wasn’t sure about the specifics and I told her I’d let you know so you could have Jonghyun and Jongup help too,” Jinki encouraged. “I’m still surprised she didn’t know about the runes,” he couldn’t help but add, a confused look on his face.

“Well, Jonghyun didn’t know either,” Taekwoon shrugged, though he had to agree it didn’t settle well with him too. “But they don’t practice reading and most can’t see through their riders eyes like mine can,” he added, feeling his way through.

“Is it possible they forgot?” Jinki asked uncertainly, very unsure about the question.

Taekwoon shook his head. “They’re not very forgetful creatures. It seems more like this might have been intentional. What did the books say about the relationship between the dragon, their riders, and the dragon priests? Do you remember?”

Jinki nodded and licked his lips as he pulled at the memory. “Before the Dragon Wars, the dragons were more involved and actually seemed to have a sort of place in society. Even our history books seem to agree that they were essentially our equals. But…”

“Once the wars started and ended, that changed,” Taekwoon finished for him.

“Exactly. The numbers were much reduced for one. And the Dragon Priests were starting to step up with their power after the fact. This is especially true if they did indeed bind Bahamut and Tiamat as we suspect,” he exhaled, teeth digging into his lip thoughtfully.

“Fewer dragons, fewer riders, and more power for the priests…” he grumbled, not liking how that seemed to lead rather nicely to where they were now.

“Definitely something to think about,” Jinki mused tiredly, rubbing at his face with both hands. “How about you though? What did you manage today?” he asked, rolling onto the bed and laying on his side to look up at the other man.

Taekwoon reached over to pull the blankets on top of Jinki with a smile before he answered. “Insoo will help with spreading the word about trying to get ready for what may or may not be coming and… I had an interesting conversation with Healer Mimi today.”

“Oh?” Jinki hummed, snuggling into the blankets with a curious gleam in his eyes.

Carefully, Taekwoon picked his way through that conversation. They’d both been dancing around saying too much this afternoon, but it was clear the healer was trying to give him a hint about something. “The only people that come to mind are Satoru and Eric,” he sighed, not liking that was even a possibility.

“Well, there is the High Priest too, but there’s no guarantee he was here at that time,” Jinki added distractedly, clearly turning over the possibilities in his head. “Rumors have it that Satoru wears the sleeves to hide scars from an old injury, but he insists they’re on both arms. He mentioned something about it having to do with him losing his dragon I think.”

“That’s right. There were rumors of him being a rider before…” he whispered distractedly, Jinki’s previous comment tugging on his thoughts for some reason.

“Eric is simply a stickler for professionalism. His uniform is a sign of his rank and it’s not wise to mingle with those of lower stations so freely. He has to maintain that façade of complete control, you know,” Jinki shrugged with a grimace. “You listening?” he asked, noticing the other man was distracted. He slapped Taekwoon’s closest thigh to catch his attention.

“Huh?!” Taekwoon flinched, glancing down with an apologetic smile. “Sorry. You just mentioned that Kevin is always covered. Even his face,” he added, not sure what he was trying to point out.

“Yes, but we know the reason for that,” his other half countered flippantly.

“We do?” the rider asked with an internal cringe.

Jinki raised one brow and frowned at him. “You really don’t choose to remember much unless it’s specifically about dragon do you?”

“Sorry?” Taekwoon cringed, a grimace on his face.

“Ugh…” Jinki groaned, rolling his eyes. “If you’d been paying attention, you would know that he wears a mask to hide his identity since about… one hundred forty… or was it fifty?” he frowned, trying to find the right number. “Either way,” he waved off after a moment. “Someone tried to kill the High Priest so they started the tradition of hiding their appearance so no one would be able to recognize them.”

“Right…” the rider nodded in delayed remembrance. “Doesn’t he choose someone from the priesthood to become the next High Priest?”

“So they say. Not that I’ve ever been to one of the ceremonies. I don’t think there’s been one in our lifetime,” he explained with a thoughtful look. “That aside, I still don’t think the man you’re talking about is the High Priest.”

Taekwoon groaned and made a face. “I know. It would just be so much easier if it was. I already don’t like him anyway,” he scowled.

“I know, love,” Jinki chuckled sympathetically. “So… provided Mimi was speaking about someone that is still here, the chance are good that he was referring to either Satoru or Eric. Both seem like strange candidates to do something like that.”

“Not if they weren’t good runes,” Taekwoon reminded him gently, laying his hand on Jinki’s shoulder with a light touch.

Jinki sat up abruptly with the blanket pulled tight around him. “Do you think someone was, or is, maybe trying to control one of them?”

“Or both,” Taekwoon added dejectedly. At Jinki’s suspicious frown, he defended himself. “What? It’s as crazy as anything else we’ve thrown out here so far.”

“I hate that you’re right about that,” Jinki exhaled slowly.

“And really, you spend the most time around Satoru so… have you ever seen or noticed anything to make you think one way or the other?” Taekwoon asked as gently as he could, trying to be sensitive to Jinki’s position and relationship.

Once more, Jinki scowled, but he at least took a moment to think. Taekwoon watched him thumb at his bottom lip, dark eyes blinking quickly as he mulled over events he’d seen or participated in. He almost wished he could see how Jinki’s mind worked. It would have been fascinating, he was sure. But he was startled when his other half flinched and then froze, fingertips moving to brush against his left wrist.

“What is it?” Taekwoon half whispered as he watched in fascination.

“I’m not sure,” Jinki admitted as if from far away. “I don’t really wanna say and I’m not sure because I could have been seeing things,” he warned with a sidelong look at his other half, “but… there might be markings on Satoru. Maybe.”

“Really?” the rider blinked, not really expecting to hear anything definite.

“Maybe. It was right around when Priest Junsu arrived. We were talking to him. Satoru wasn’t particularly bothered. He never looks it anyway. But I don’t think he was being as careful as usual. One of his sleeves… slipped. Only for a moment. I’m still not really sure I saw anything. It could have been shadows, but I remember I’d been putting off the magic book because it looked too hard. The mark might have been like something from the book,” he grumbled, hunching under the blanket as if trying to make himself small.

“Hey,” Taekwoon soothed, giving in to the immediate urge to comfort his other half. He wrapped his arms around the blanket ensconced person and pulled him close. Part of him felt somewhat vindicated that maybe he was a little bit right about not being completely certain of Satoru, but he was not about to say that now. “Even if there are marks on Satoru, we don’t know what they mean. Or why.”

“But if the wounds were self-inflicted, and that was Satoru, then these would have to be new marks, wouldn’t they?” Jinki wondered aloud.

“Maybe,” Taekwoon conceded, his own mind working furiously to provide some kind of answer.

“What if he is being controlled? What if he’s not?” he flip flopped quickly, clearly stressed by the newest possible problem.

“Shh,” the rider whispered, cradling Jinki’s head close. “It’s just something we’re going to have to be looking for in the days to come,” he promised, forcing a laugh he didn’t feel. “I’ll keep an eye on the dragons and you keep an eye on the Masters and we let each other know if something happens,” he explained deftly, as if it was that easy.

“You’re terrible,” Jinki sniffed and laughed, clearly struggling with whether to be grateful or annoyed. “But not wrong,” he added quietly, pulling his knees up to curl closer to the other man.

“Considering you’re almost always right, I’ll take that as a win,” Taekwoon said with a mild grin. Jinki laughed once but made no further comment. It seemed as if he was done talking for the moment. “It’s alright, my heart. No one ever said we would figure out everything in a day. And with the snow storm we have coming in on the morrow, we’ll all be housebound for at least a day. That’ll give us more time to think things through,” he encouraged, actually looking forward to a bit of the forced downtime it would bring.

“There is that at least,” his other half agreed, tense body seeming to relax at least a bit. “Thank you,” he murmured, taking a breath and melting into the curve of Taekwoon’s body.

“Anytime, my heart,” he whispered as he desperately kept his own doubts and concerns from his tone. He felt a light brush of approval from his dragon and took another breath as he tried to force himself to relax as well.


	35. Connecting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel apologies are due at this point. I did not mean to let this lie for almost a full month without updating, but I will say that my mostly laptop free visit home for the holidays was amazing. Thank you for your patience and I hope you enjoy this update!

The next day, the Aerie practically shut down. Everyone stayed indoors as much as they could, hiding from the biting cold and the gathering snows. Not too surprisingly, both Sandara and Kibum insisted upon continuing their progress, and that was also largely where Amber could be found in turn. The riders ventured out to check on their dragons personally from time to time, making sure they were bunking together in fewer caves to conserve body heat and stay as protected as possible from the weather.

Most people stayed in the dining hall as much as they could or clustered together in shared rooms. Or they slept. When it was cold and the weather was this bad, there wasn’t much else to be done, and it conserved both energy and food. Jinki and Taekwoon were no exceptions other than venturing from their room to get food to take back so they could continue discussing their current concerns. Jinki didn’t come up with much new information, but they were starting to feel a bit surer about their thoughts and feelings.

On the other hand, Taekwoon was coming to the conclusion that he would probably need to check out the Sanctum again: the outer and inner parts. That was where he’d seen the strange man when he’d participated in his second Trial. No one was allowed there, usually, unless they were taking part in their Trials, but… maybe if he asked. If that didn’t work, perhaps he could sneak in. He _needed_ to see the runes in the circle.

Jinki promised he would ask Satoru about it later, but for the duration of the storm, there really wasn’t much they could do beyond talk. The Aerie Master was not likely to make any extra effort to allow for special exceptions during this time and, truth be told, he had pretty much banished Jinki from the office for the moment.

In the afternoon, they did get pulled out to join some of the Aerie runners for snacks and games in Himchan’s room, of all places. Really though, the Healer in Training was just doing his part to keep spirits high and get a feel for how everyone was doing. The cold affected the residents differently and the lack of sunlight made many people sad or grumpy.

Despite himself, Taekwoon fell into the familiar environment gratefully. He could feel Jonghyun enjoying the sensation through their bond and he welcomed the dragon’s presence. As such, they were both privy to the gossip of the aerie. It usually centered around who was interested in who or what was happening between this person and that or what dragons, and their riders, had been getting up to mischief. As the eyes and ears of the place, they caught a lot that probably was not meant to be heard. And because Taekwoon was so quiet, they likely forgot he was in their midst.

“Oh! Have you heard?”

“What?”

“Those new bloods have really been settling in well, if you know what I mean.”

“Oh?” Polite curiosity would have prompted almost anyone, but they were gossips and they only needed mild prompting anyway.

“Indeed. They’ve been meshing well with other riders and those that haven’t have been seeing the Paramours,” someone grinned cheekily.

“I _thought_ I saw one of them coming out the other day,” Joy murmured, obviously annoyed she’d mostly missed it.

“And why shouldn’t they?” Jinki urged, missing Taekwoon’s mute groan. He’d been listening in and hoping for more but that was probably a moot point now… “They’ve done as much as most riders by now,” he reminded them.

“True,” Himchan nodded with a sidelong look at Taekwoon as if he understood what the other man might have been listening for.

“I know. I just figured someone like Chaerin might have found another rider to partner with,” Jimin shrugged, apparently suffering from a similar form of enamor as the younger men seemed wont to do. He hadn’t been given leave to try his own Trials yet so was nowhere near being ready for that, but he was not alone in his feelings.

Taekwoon had to wonder who she was seeing amongst the Paramours and… he was also mildly curious about this attraction she had over others. Something to do with her being a bit of a dragon? _You just scare people,_ his dragon commented in an almost teasing manner as he listened in on what he could feel.

_I don’t_ want _to be noticed like that,_ he immediately defended himself, though he didn’t deny it. His being part dragon of a sort was hardly alluring. He’d had to figure out how to come to terms with it with Jinki as well, but maybe it was something to do with the fact that Chaerin wasn’t bound like he was. There hadn’t been a… soul exchange of sorts. So why did she seem to be dragonish then?

He caught the tail end of someone else saying that Ryeowook was married to books and another person talking about how Jungkook fancied Chaerin and how she was probably better off spending time with Heechul. At that point, he was very much done listening to the conversation. Especially because their speculation then jumped to Hyosung being a partner option amongst the Paramours and he snorted dryly.

_Having fun?_

_I’d rather be talking with you,_ he admitted at his dragon’s dry question.

_Mate approves,_ Jonghyun grinned. _Says you should visit. We are cold and he misses your mate._

_That’s as good a reason as any to brave the cold,_ he assured the dragon, letting a smile curl his lips.

“What?” Jinki whispered leaning close as he saw the expression.

“The dragons want to see us, and I’m more than fine with running away,” he whispered back, shrugging at his admittance.

“Hopeless,” Jinki laughed softly, combing his fingers through Taekwoon’s hair before he turned his attention to pulling them out of the conversation. Watching Jinki do that was like a sort of magic on its own. He’d never have that social skill…

Jonghyun and Jongup were happy to see them, though Jonghyun nosed a bank of snow at Taekwoon and doused his rider in the fluffy powder first. “Jerk,” he grumbled, tossing a snowball at the copper before he brushed off the worst of it and helped Jinki inside. Despite the group think, they had refrained from joining other caves and maintained that they were together.

_Like the privacy,_ Jonghyun admitted nonchalantly, though it seemed something might have been bothering him.

“What’s up?” he asked his dragon, speaking out loud for Jinki’s sake. His partner smiled and patted his thigh gratefully before turning his attention to the blue who was nudging him.

_Nothing,_ came the too quick reply.

“The same nothing that has you and your mate here for the _privacy_ and actively avoiding the warmth of a cave full of dragons?” he pressed gently, placing a gloved hand on one large claw.

Jonghyun grumbled and laid his head down beside Taekwoon, allowing his rider to run a soothing hand atop his brow and horns. _Nothing wrong. Just doesn’t feel… right? Comfortable,_ he amended quickly, snorting once and blowing the powder in front of him away.

_Oh? Anything I can do to help?_ Taekwoon had to ask.

_No,_ the copper sighed, leaning his head harder against his rider. _Just… different. Me. Mate. Not dragon dragon anymore but not like other dragons._

Taekwoon raised a brow and blinked in surprise at the admission. In a way, it was nice knowing that he wasn’t the only one dealing with species acceptance issues, but he was not expecting it from his dragon. _Why didn’t you say anything?_

_Didn’t know til now,_ he admitted with a shrug and a deep breath. _Gain help explain. Make sense._

_So you speak to her too?_ he chuckled in understanding.

_Mate as well. Wanted to know how to talk to your mate,_ he explained matter of factly, large amber eyes darting to the pair beside them.

_Huh?_ Taekwoon chirped, turning to look. He jerked in surprise when he saw Jinki staring at Jongup, their eyes partially open as if under a spell. “Jinki?” he asked, reaching a hand out as if to shake him.

_Shh,_ his dragon interrupted him with a gentle nudge. _Mate wants this. Yours may too._

It wasn’t that he didn’t trust his dragons. Far from it. He just wasn’t expecting Jongup to actually pull Jinki into Trance and he didn’t know what it might mean. Or how his other half would react to it. He didn’t mind speaking with Gain but she was different. There’d never been any sense of almost binding. _You sure they’re okay?_ he wondered hesitantly, reaching to rest his hand on Jinki’s thigh despite himself.

_Talking,_ Jonghyun promised with a pleased smile. _Nothing more._

“Hmm,” Taekwoon grumbled slightly, feeling both unsettled but pleased by Jongup’s initiative. Bahamut knew Jinki was probably never going to take that step. At least not anytime soon. And maybe it would be good for them to talk, especially since they did seem to have a connection of sorts.

Jinki had not been expecting to fall into Jongup’s eyes. Nor was he sure about how to stop it, or if he even wanted to. Falling was easy and he was admittedly curious. Though he couldn’t help but be a little nervous without a shred of clothing on him. “Umm…” he hummed, awkwardly covering himself and grateful that this place didn’t feel cold.

An anxious whine alerted him and he looked down to see the familiar blue dragon running in semi-frantic circles. Amber eyes turned up to face him and he seemed to be struggling to do something. But he also looked like he was having trouble.

When Jinki landed, he immediately went over and grabbed Jongup’s serpentine head in his hands, centering him. “It’s alright,” he promised, not sure what was wrong but certain it would be okay.

Jongup closed his eyes and took a deep breath before exhaling slowly, the warm breath washing over Jinki’s skin like a summer breeze. As he breathed out, his form started to shift, slow and awkward. Unlike when Gain changed, Jongup’s process was stomach turning and slow, but when he was finally finished, a short and very friendly looking young man faced him. He had unusually narrow eyes but a smile that could probably melt snow. “Sorry,” he apologized first, the word strange on his tongue.

Taken aback by what was happening, Jinki just laughed once and waved off the apology. “I’m not… I don’t know what to say,” he admitted, at a loss as to what he was doing here.

The dragon didn’t respond immediately as he seemed to notice their unclothed state. With a focused frown of concentration, he stared at Jinki’s body and then pushed both hands at him as if he was casting a spell. “Hah!” the man chirped gleefully when the equivalent of an oversized robe more akin to a blanket appeared around Jinki’s shoulders.

The conjuring and the reaction made Jinki laugh. “Thank you,” he bowed, wrapping the fabric around him gratefully. He watched Jongup repeat the process on himself, ending up with an equally large piece of cloth swathed around him.

”Learning,” he grinned, stepping close and staring at Jinki’s face as if seeing him for the first time.

“Learning from who?” the other man asked, bemused by the dragon’s antics.

“Gain.”

“Oh. I hadn’t expected that.”

“Why not? Want to talk. Not know how. You… run,” he shrugged, leaning from side to side as if to memorize his features.

Jinki looked up as he thought about the answer. “Not really running… but I didn’t know you wanted to talk.”

“I try. You look away,” the blue snorted, standing up straight but still at least a hand shorter than Jinki.

“Why though?” he asked, shaking his head in confusion. He wasn’t Jongup’s rider and there was no reason for them to speak that he knew of.

“My mate. Your mate,” Jongup gestured with his hands, one hand signifying either person, before he brought them together. Then he placed his hand on his chest and pointed the other at Jinki. “Me. You.” Again, his hands came together.

“But we’re not bound,” Jinki shook his head, a nervous tickling in his belly.

Jongup shook his head emphatically. “Not bound. Co… co… connected!” he suddenly remembered, beaming as he reached his hand out as if he was waiting for Jinki to take it.

“Connected?”

“Mm!” Jongup nodded without otherwise moving.

“Not Symbiosis?”

“No,” the dragon shook his head. “Connected. I want. You?” he prompted, a pleading note to his voice.

Jinki raised his hand, letting it hover in the air between them. The dragon looked so eager and expectant and he didn’t know what it meant exactly. But it wasn’t a Symbiosis binding and he did trust Jongup. He just wanted to know what connected meant. Would something big change? Would he change? Would Taekwoon be mad? Well really, he was the one that wanted them to get closer after all. What about his Aerie Master duties?

“Not bad. Not hurt,” Jongup promised softly, his amber eyes pleading mutely.

It was like looking at a puppy. Jinki felt his heart tremble at the expression and knew he didn’t really want to turn him down. Never mind that it would have been hard to say no anyway… he was honestly curious. Slowly, he reached his hand down and laid it atop Jongup’s wrapping his fingers around the forearm as the dragon did the same. “Now wha-?” he started to say before he felt it. A shift in him. Like something moving into place that he didn’t even know was in the wrong spot initially. Jongup’s smile burned brighter and Jinki _felt_ it. “I feel you,” he whispered with a shaky breath.

“Me too,” the blue answered, eyes nearly disappearing in his face. “Happy.”

Jinki raised his free hand to his mouth as he felt overwhelming tears prick his eyes. Was this what Taekwoon felt with Jonghyun? No wonder he enjoyed talking to his dragon. If you could just show how you felt, it could make things so much easier to understand. Words got in the way sometimes but feelings…

“Thank you for talking,” Jongup murmured, slowly letting his hand go as he stepped back. “Mates worry. Go back now,” he waved, letting his form return to a dragon with ease.

“Whoa!” Jinki gasped when he was quite literally pushed from Trance. As he came tumbling back into his body, he felt an inner sense of apology, like someone was cringing, and he realized Jongup had not meant to throw him out.

“Jinki? Are you alright?” he heard Taekwoon ask as arms cradled him close.

He blinked briefly disoriented eyes and then focused on the concerned man hovering over him. “Yes,” he nodded slowly, blinking a couple more times. “I’ve just never been thrown out of Trance,” he admitted with a dazed look.

“Ah,” Taekwoon exhaled slowly, the worry leaving his expression quickly. “It can be jarring. What happened though? What did he want to talk about?” he asked quickly, glancing at Jonghyun when it was obvious the copper said something to him.

“He… wanted to connect,” Jinki smiled, the warmth he was feeling added to the warmth he felt from Jongup. “I can feel him,” he breathed in wonderment.

“Connected?” Taekwoon murmured as if a thought had crossed his mind. “I wonder if it is something like what Chaerin and her group have with their dragons.”

“Maybe?” he shrugged, not sure. “But if it’s just feelings, probably. And it’s easy to see why they might be protective of their dragons. This is… lovely right now, but I can see it being potentially painful on the other side of things.”

“That is true,” Taekwoon nodded in agreement, casting another look at his dragon.

“He’s been trying to get me to go into Trance with him,” Jinki admitted as he sat up with Taekwoon’s help. “Said I kept running away,” he chuckled.

“You could have told me,” he grumbled at Jonghyun with a thin mouth. The copper said something in return because Taekwoon rolled his eyes. “I wouldn’t have said no.” The obvious affront on his face was highly amusing. “Me telling you no and me telling Jongup no are not the same. And why didn’t you tell Gain then? She could have let him know,” he demanded, carrying on an apparent one-sided conversation that really did make Jinki want to laugh. When he responded to the next answer, he did. “Okay. She can be a little intimidating sometimes.”

“I appreciate the insight but you two are too much,” Jinki laughed, sharing the sentiment with Jongup. He got a pleased reaction in response, and he reached out to pet the nearest blue shoulder.

“I still think he could have told me,” Taekwoon muttered, glaring at his dragon from the side of his eyes before he turned his attention back on Jinki. “Are you sure you’re okay, though? We’ve never done much with connecting like this so I don’t know what to expect.”

“I think it’ll be fine love. I have no doubt that Jongup doesn’t want to hurt me and I don’t think your dragon would have let him do something that might threaten either of us,” he soothed, grabbing Taekwoon’s hand and giving it a squeeze. “And besides. This will probably be useful. Who knows, maybe it’ll help me be a better Aerie Master when I get there,” he winked, grinning broadly.

“Time will tell,” Taekwoon agreed, both of them steadfastly ignoring the fact that there might not be an Aerie to lead by next year.

The pair stayed with the dragons for a bit longer, sharing a newfound company before the cold eventually started chasing them inside. The dragons weren’t really that cold, though they would be warmer if they did move into the other caves. Normally, Taekwoon would have taken a moment just to swing by and check on the lower tier caves, but with the snow storm the way it was – windy and white and hard to see – he opted not to. But as he passed by one opening, he felt a particularly strange itching sensation. It came and went quickly, but it made him turn his head reactively.

“Something wrong?” Jinki asked, holding his hand tighter and hunching close.

“No,” Taekwoon answered distractedly. Not really anyway. “Sorry,” he smiled apologetically. Throwing his arm around Jinki’s shoulder, he pulled him close against his body and walked him back inside the living quarters.

The rest of the day passed by otherwise uneventfully, though it was thoroughly amusing to watch Jinki actively experience having a connection with Jongup. Taekwoon liked watching him. It seemed as if he’d received a gift and every new contact was a treasure. Jonghyun assured him Jongup was having similar reactions and that only made Taekwoon smile harder.

They rejoined the majority of the Aerie for the evening meal and a subdued conversation in general. The storm looked as if it might stick around for a bit and no one was looking forward to it. Even the Masters had come in full force, talking quietly among themselves. Satoru and Eric made a brief appearance, speaking with the Masters and Dongwan and Seunghyun in particular, but didn’t stay long.

And through all of it, Taekwoon noticed Chaerin back to watching him. The hawkish expression was gone and in its place was a tense almost concern. He couldn’t say for sure, but she seemed… unsettled. Or maybe torn. Maybe she was almost ready to talk. Or maybe he was just getting tired of waiting for her to come around. Something between them was going to have to shift soon.

The following day they lost to the still ongoing storm. Snow was starting to pile up and they were having to make efforts to keep it somewhat clear of the doorways and paths they needed to use just in case. No dragons patrolled in this weather and those that had returned in a lull of the worst of it were recovering near the Healing Hall. Sentries were maintained on a minimal skeleton crew and they changed shifts often. The cold was brutal and it made dragons and riders in those conditions poor guards when left to their own devices for too long. Everyone was a bit more quiet than usual and it was obvious they were eager for better weather. The cold just sapped everyone’s energy and motivation. Even the dragons were less inclined to talk or be active in these conditions.

By the third day, the storm had finally started to let up. It was still snowing but the wind had relented and though there was no sun to be had yet, people were willing to brave the outside for a taste of fresh air and the beginnings of snow clearing. In fact, almost the entirety of the Aerie turned out to enjoy the relative good weather, at least in comparison to what they’d dealt with for two days previously. What snow might fall between now and the official end would be little in comparison to what they had to deal with currently. In fact, some of the younger residents opted to play in it.

Jinki returned to his position beside Satoru and Taekwoon was summoned with the rest of the Aerie bound riders and dragons for snow removal duty in the later morning marks. After two solid days of relative rest, it felt good to get moving again. Manual labor was never exactly fun but Taekwoon found it fulfilling. So did Jonghyun if his gusto at digging snow out was any indication. All the dragons seemed a bit frisky actually, as if the cold after the storm energized them. It was moderately entertaining.

They all got a break for the afternoon meal and then… Taekwoon received a very strange summons near the tail end. _Rider?_ came the uncertain query from his dragon.

_Yeah?_ he answered easily enough, though the tone was odd to him.

_Gold wants to speak with you._

_Gain?_ he responded automatically, since she was the gold dragon they usually referred to.

He frowned when he received an immediate denial and frowned even more when he got the answer. _Fei._

_Now that is odd,_ he commented as he glanced around for the dragon’s rider. She was nowhere to be seen but that was also true of half the dining hall. They’d mostly finished and had gone their separate ways. _Does Chaerin know?_

Jonghyun was quiet for a moment as he apparently asked. _No._

_Even more strange…_ Taekwoon admitted with a small sigh. _Why?_

_Won’t say._

_Shards,_ the rider scowled, roughing his hair up as he got to his feet and nodded once. _I guess this might be as good a sign as any._

_Question her?_ the copper asked, the response initially confusing.

But Taekwoon could feel the intent and he shook his head. _I’ll meet with her. Where is she?_ he asked, trying to prepare himself. At least if he met with her as a dragon, he’d be on better footing than when he met with Chaerin. Dragons he could at least mostly understand: speech, body language, and behavior. Humans… not as well.

_Caves near mine. Not too far,_ he grumbled, apparently annoyed that she was so close to him. Or them. Or maybe she was just staying there temporarily but his dragon wasn’t particularly happy.

_On my way,_ he sent, licking his lips with a brief thought about letting Jinki know. But he didn’t see a runner nearby and he didn’t know where his other half was and he didn’t exactly have a way to message him either. His connection with Jongup was nice but not particularly informative in terms of specifics.

_We wait._

It didn’t take Taekwoon long to get there. When he arrived, he approached the gold dragon warily. There was no love lost between them as they had yet to establish anything more than a working relationship. “Fei,” he nodded in acknowledgement. She focused on him intently, shifting in place as if she was uncertain, and then nodded her head once.

_She is nervous._

_I can see,_ Taekwoon responded with a glance at his dragon. _Jongup?_ he asked, not noticing the blue immediately nearby.

_Waiting for mate._

_Ah._ That was almost cute. No. It was. And he would love to see it, but right now, he had an unpredictable gold dragon to handle. “Alright, Fei. What do you want to talk about?” he asked, stepping close and looking up at her, undaunted.

She fidgeted again and then sighed as she lowered her head to bring them close to eye level. He was mildly surprised when it was easy to fall into Trance with her. Perhaps they both wanted this more than he thought. He was also surprised that he settled as quickly as he did. She apparently had pretty good control over Trance, which spoke of lots of practice. And… she was in a human guise and clothed, like him. Practice indeed.

“Fei,” he nodded at the human form. She was not what he expected. Small, yes. But she had almond shaped golden eyes that burned with determination and wavy chestnut hair that draped over her clothes. They looked like riding leathers, as if she was perhaps imitating Chaerin. Or him. But he thought the former was more likely.

“Rider,” she nodded back with a curt voice.

“Why are you talking to me without Chaerin knowing?” he asked directly, watching for signs of betrayal or lying.

“She is worried. I am worried,” she explained flatly, rolling her shoulders as if she could loose some kind of tension there.

“Worried about what?” he prompted, one brow rising curiously.

“We are not sure,” she admitted with a frustrated sigh. “But we feel something. Magic. It itches and something is going to happen. Eyes everywhere,” she muttered at the end, almost like a thought that wasn’t supposed to escape.

The hairs on the back of Taekwoon’s neck stood on end and he rolled to the balls of his feet in reaction. “How do you know that?”

She shook her head, disturbing her hair. “Feeling has grown stronger since we arrived. Since the storm,” she scowled, her expression dangerous, but not directed at him. But then she looked up and pointed at him. “You are dangerous.” Her teeth flashed between her lips as she growled at him and he took a step back as if to get ready to move. “Because of you, Chaerin must…” she trailed off, stopping herself from whatever she was going to say. Taekwoon waited, unwilling to break the resultant silence in the hopes she would continue. And she did, but not with what she was originally going to say. “She must do what her siblings will not. Cannot.”

“What is that?” Taekwoon asked warily, feeling his skin crawl with anticipation and concern. Her siblings? Who was Fei talking about?

Fei ignored his question, continuing her own train of thought. “But she chose to come here. Hopeful. Misplaced,” she scowled, the anger and wariness he’d been expecting showing itself at last. But then her demeanor changed and she sighed. “I want to protect her, but I cannot. She is protecting me. He is so very strong,” she whispered, hunching in on herself as if she could hide. “He has taken so many already.”

“Who, Fei? What are you talking about?” Taekwoon asked, more than a little lost. “If I’m going to help you, I need to know more information.” And he was desperate to follow this thread more, but then something else itched in the back of his mind. Almost as soon as he felt it, he thought Fei might have as well. They both looked up at the same time, heads turning as if searching for something.

“Magic,” Fei hissed.

_Rider!_

“Danger!” the gold snarled as her eyes flashed gold and she reverted to her dragon form.

Completely caught off guard, Taekwoon was hurled back to his body as she ended Trance too fast. He coughed hard when he literally fell to the ground, briefly stunned. _Jong…_ he trailed off, unable to speak except through their connection.

_Not sure. Dragons… mate!_ he gasped as if struck, alarm and anger flaring at the same time.

_Jongup?_ was the immediate response, making Taekwoon at least sit up a bit faster.

_Yours!_

That stoked a fear he’d almost forgotten he had. In the blink of an eye, Taekwoon was back on his feet and stumbling out of the cave in Fei’s wake. The gold was already in the air, flapping hard through the light snow. _Where is he?_ he demanded, head swiveling as he tried to see what was wrong.

_In the air! We fly!_ Jonghyun commanded, stepping close to Taekwoon so his rider could climb aboard.

No gear. No harness. No weapons. Taekwoon didn’t give them a second thought as he sank low and clamped his legs around Jonghyun’s neck and shoulders. All that mattered was figuring out what had happened and what was going on with Jinki.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! With any luck, I'll be able to resume my normal updates now that I'm back from my holiday. The beginning of the school semester is a bit hectic so please bear with me for the time being but I will do my best to get back on track as soon as possible! You guys are awesome!


	36. The Beginning...

It wasn’t snowing so hard that they couldn’t see, but it made visibility low, only adding to Taekwoon’s worry. _Talk to me,_ he urged his dragon, staying as flat as he could to try and avoid the worst of the wind.

_The new white has mate. Mine following,_ he promised, head turning from side to side as he listened to the low calls rumbling around them. He opened his mouth and bellowed something that sounded suspiciously like ‘Report!’ the sound vibrating through the dragon’s body and into Taekwoon.

Who was the new white dragon? _Chaerin’s group?_

 _Priest’s,_ Jonghyun clarified distractedly.

Taekwoon’s nostrils flared and he stared harder, feeling his dragon half come to the fore with little effort. Dragon eyes cut through the veil of white between them, helping him to see just a bit more. The white dragon... another blue… and a bronze. _What’s happening, Jong?_ He got the general gist, but he didn’t know the why. Not that it mattered, but he needed to talk or something to help keep him from panicking.

_Dragons not listening. They won’t answer. Can’t hear from the others, but mate says he will get yours back,_ he promised, redoubling his efforts to make up for lost time.

With a glance back, Taekwoon confirmed there were a handful of dragons at their backs, but few had riders. _Friends or foes?_ he asked, just to make sure.

_Friends._

 _Good. Go for Jinki,_ he commanded, a desperate need filling him to get his other half back safely. He felt Jonghyun’s understanding and the shift in their flight pattern, but they both flinched when the dragons peeled off, splitting into different directions and aiming higher. “Shards!” Taekwoon scowled, head swiveling from side to side. What were they up to?

Jonghyun’s disgusted feeling of frustration was impossible to miss. _White is faster…_

 _Try harder,_ he answered immediately, knowing it wasn’t fair.

_Am._ He actually slowed for a heartbeat and sighed. _Trust mate. He will do this,_ he promised before turning to look at the blue. Fei was desperately chasing it, but making no progress, and they were the closest to them. _Can catch blue,_ he hissed, muscles bunching under him already.

Fear and uncertainty gnawed at the rider as he watched Jongup catching up bit by bit. It pained him they couldn’t join that flight, but they had other battles to wage as well. _Go Jong!_ he urged, holding tight as he focused on his new target. It didn’t take him long to remember they were gaining on Ken, Wonshik’s dragon. The rider did not appear to be on the dragon but he was very much carrying someone… Had to be Chaerin with the way Fei was trying to catch up, but the gold was not meant for sprinting speeds. Neither was Jonghyun but he had moons of training under him to help make up for it.

Fei gave a desperate sounding cry as she continued to fall back. Taekwoon looked over at her when they drew abreast and nodded before they started pulling ahead. Bahamut, it was cold though. The wind bit through his riding leathers like sharp fangs and he could already feel his fingers starting to go numb. And they were only going up too, which meant it was going to get colder. But they were gaining all the same. The dragon’s head peered back briefly and unless Taekwoon was mistaken, he actually looked a bit surprised.

The blue banked up sharply, almost flying straight up. Taekwoon hugged tight as they mirrored the pattern, feeling gravity and wind pulling at him dangerously. He might have said something except in the next moment he noticed something falling at them quickly. He just didn’t see it immediately because he was focused on the blue.

_Rider!_

 _Catch her!_ Taekwoon shouted, belly clenching when Jonghyun leveled out and then started flying after Chaerin when she fell past them. They’d learned not to try and catch anyone in free fall directly, and then it was a race. They had to reach her before Fei tried to catch her from the other direction.

Jonghyun called out to her with a roar and she roared back. The hair on the back of Taekwoon’s neck prickled and he looked back just in time to see the blue swooping down on them.

_Roll!_

Marks of practice and relying on each other allowed Jonghyun to do as asked without question. It was the only thing that kept a lone claw from snatching him up. It did not save him from being knocked off, however. Ken’s grab missed and hit him with the side of his claw instead, sending him tumbling from Jonghyun’s back.

Cold air sliced at open patches of skin, burning his face. _Jong!_

_Watch out for gold!_

_Shards…_ he cringed reactively, flailing to try and find where Fei was. Oh- there.

She tried to catch him reactively and missed with her claws though he careened into her larger body and bounced off. Stunned again, he went ragdoll and his body tumbled in the air as he blinked hard to try and center himself. Coming around just enough, he flailed frantically and righted his body, squinting against the wind burn in his eyes. The ground wasn’t too close yet. The gold was above him and trying to make up for her miss. He didn’t see the blue and Jonghyun said he was just above with Chaerin.

_Little help…_ he trailed off.

_Coming,_ he promised quickly, wings flapping hard when Taekwoon looked up to see.

“Oh come on…” he grimaced as the blue reappeared in his periphery, almost as if he was pacing himself beside Fei. Maybe he was, for it didn’t seem as if Ken was focusing on Taekwoon. The blue said something to her that Taekwoon couldn’t catch but then she stopped chasing him and lunged for the other dragon.

_Rider!_

He didn’t know if it was a warning or an outraged cry but his world shifted again when an entirely different dragon appeared, plucking him out of the air with firm but careful pressure. Strong claws pressed him against warm, bronze skin and Taekwoon flattened himself against the body heat, shivering and soaking up as much as he could. _Who?_

 _Gunwoo,_ his dragon answered, soothing Taekwoon’s worry.

_Jinki?_

_Safe. Mate has and taking back now._

_Fei?_

_She is alright. More dragons arriving to help._

_What about the other bronze dragon?_

_Unsure,_ Jonghyun mumbled, drawing abreast of the bronze carrying him so he could see Taekwoon eye to eye.

_You okay?_ he finally asked his dragon now that his mind was catching up with everything that had happened.

_Better than you,_ came the almost playful reply, only it was actually serious this time.

_Chaerin?_

Jonghyun’s neck bent so he could look at the woman in his claws from an upside down vantage before answering. _Sleeping but alive._

 _Good. You’re sure Jinki’s alright?_ he asked again, turning to look as if in doing so he could find his other half.

_Promise._

It wasn’t enough for Taekwoon but it would do for the moment. He could still feel the panic in his chest at not knowing what was happening or if he was alright. It was entirely different from the panic he felt when falling. More biting, sharper. And beyond all of that, he had no idea why it had happened. He was going to need answers when they got back. It couldn’t have been just random and if someone had orchestrated it, that changed everything about what they were hoping to get ready for. Forces on the outside were easy. Forces on the inside… not so much.

The Aerie was full of panicky, confused energy when they finally returned. All the Healers were present and waiting to assess damages and treat people and dragons as needed. A paler than usual Satoru was also there standing surprisingly close to Eric. Dragons and riders patrolled the skies alertly, searching for any signs of danger and most of the residents had been ushered indoors for their safety.

Taekwoon brushed off any immediate concerns as he stumbled to Jinki first and foremost. His other half was unconscious but didn’t seem to be particularly hurt and was already being attended by Himchan. He was, however, very pale and cold.

“He has no obvious injuries,” Himchan assured him with a quick glance to the side. “It’s likely he’s just suffering from shock and cold sickness at the moment. We’re fortunate, sort of…” he amended, “that there were so few riders who went into the air.” He finished his statement by looking up to check and see if there were any others that had come in when he wasn’t looking. “I’ll bet that Chaerin is in a similar state,” he mused as he sighted on the downed woman being attended by Henry.

When Taekwoon followed his gaze and saw her, Chaerin did seem to be in a similar state. But then she was blocked from his sight by Insoo coming to check on him. “Couldn’t get ready in time so some of us sent our dragons on ahead. Glad Woo found you,” he breathed in obvious relief, now in full riding gear that he didn’t need.

“It was a good catch,” he whispered, raising one hand to take Insoo’s gratefully. They’d practiced it often enough that his wing at least knew what they were doing. “Do we know what happened?”

Insoo shook his head with a frown marring his face. “We’re still putting the pieces together. Everything was fine until it wasn’t and then those three just… moved,” he explained as if watching a memory play out again. “It was the strangest thing. I swear they were fine one moment and the next, they all just… grabbed someone and took to the skies.”

“I saw Jinki and Chaerin. Who was the third?” he asked, glancing around to try and find them.

“That priest, Junsu,” Insoo answered, chewing on his lip. “I’ve no idea why though.”

“We haven’t seen him yet. Who’s trailing him in the sky?” Himchan asked, glancing between the riders.

Taekwoon shrugged automatically since he didn’t know, but Insoo had a better idea. “Probably Jiho and N. Those two are never far apart and I’m pretty sure he was on wall duty today.”

“Anyone else?” Taekwoon asked, remembering how the dragons had acted. He was fortunate there had been more than Jonghyun as they might not have gotten away so easy otherwise.

_Would have been fine,_ Jonghyun muttered in the back of his mind.

_So you say,_ Taekwoon responded with the ghost of a smile. He could be right but they wouldn’t know at this point and he’d rather be on the safer side.

Insoo looked around as he tried to answer the question. “I know Junho got off the ground without Wooyoung, but I’m pretty sure Taeyeon managed to follow on Seohyun. Jungkook and V are in the air now. As are Jinyoung and JB.”

“Good to know. And thanks,” Taekwoon murmured, turning his attention back to Jinki since he hadn’t been shooed away yet.

“Of course,” his Wing Leader flashed a quick but weary grin. “It’s what we do.”

“And what you should do is go check on your dragon so Master Hyesung has less work to tackle. He really should choose a trainee,” he sighed under his breath with a glance to the side, the comment obviously not for their ears but unmistakable all the same.

They followed his gaze and winced at the same time. There was a white dragon nearby and a young woman crying over him. Oh no… That was Jiyeon. “Will do, Healer Himchan,” Insoo nodded with a depressed shrug before he stepped away.

Taekwoon watched him go before he focused on what else was happening with the dragons nearby. Jonghyun and Jongup weren’t far, fortunately. Hyesung was looking over all of them quickly and since those two weren’t particularly injured, he was largely ignoring them. They didn’t seem to mind. Fei appeared to have a pretty nasty claw wound on her side that needed more immediate attention and the blue was injured but unconscious. It was easy to see he was alive by the misting air escaping from his nostrils. Still… he couldn’t help but look back at the white dragon. Taemin was it?

_Crashed,_ his dragon explained without being asked.

_Jongup?_ he wondered, figuring the blue might take such a thing fairly hard.

Fortunately, or not, Jonghyun shook his figurative head. _No. Krystal._

_Jongin’s dragon? When did she get there?_

_White dropped Jinki like blue did and she had time to make up. Mate caught yours and she hit white before could get mate,_ he explained quickly, one wing extending over Jongup protectively.

Taekwoon nodded in understanding, grateful and surprised. Despite her previous injuries, it seemed as if she’d worked hard to compensate for them. He was going to have to thank her and Jongin later. But he wasn’t given too much time to think about it before he was guided into the Healing Hall with the other humans. Hyesung got the dragons to move to a nearby cave where he could monitor them better.

As suspected, Taekwoon himself didn’t have any major injuries. He was bruised for sure and he knew he’d hurt tomorrow, but for now, everything was within acceptable limits. Jinki came around before too long and was, as expected, mostly diagnosed with cold sickness and shock. The same could be said for Chaerin, though she seemed particularly stricken by what had happened. The worst patient was actually Junsu who came in a bit later. The dragons had been able to track him down and bring him back despite JR making it a fair distance away, but when Junsu returned to consciousness, it was pretty clear something was still wrong. Physically, he wasn’t that bad off, but his mind seemed to be more hurt. Only time would tell for sure.

Since nothing was particularly life threatening, none of them needed special treatment. However, they were all required to stay in the Healing Hall overnight just to make sure there were no underlying conditions. Sedated, Junsu slept well. Needing no such salves, the other three current patients were not so fortunate with sleep. Taekwoon shared a bed with Jinki who did manage to fall asleep in the circle of his arms, head pillowed on the rider’s chest. But that left him and Chaerin awake and staring at each other.

She broke the silence first. “Thank you.”

Taekwoon wrinkled his nose and looked away. He hadn’t meant to be the one to save her, but it had worked out that way. “You should thank Jonghyun. He caught you.”

Chaerin nodded slowly and nibbled on her lip as if something was bothering her. “Fei is worried. Is she alright?” she asked, glancing at the door longingly. Almost as if her thoughts woke him, Henry sat up from his doze and focused on them.

“Can’t sleep?” he wondered softly, keeping his voice low.

“Just talking,” Taekwoon urged with a gentle shake of his head, much to Chaerin’s apparent relief.

“Ah,” the young Healer sighed and stood up, peeking into the water pitcher with a frown. “I’m just gonna go get some more water then,” he explained with a mild grimace as he also looked at the door. It was cold outside.

“Thank you,” Chaerin offered under her breath, the blankets pulled close around her.

They waited for Henry to leave before they continued their conversation. “Jonghyun says Fei is fine. A bit banged up but her wings are good and she should heal soon.” The relief on Chaerin’s face was almost palpable. But then worry of her own took its place and she gripped the blankets harder, pulling them up as if to cover her mouth. “What?” Taekwoon asked as he watched her, almost able to feel her discomfort.

She glanced at him with a guilty expression and hung her head. “Part of me feels that whatever this was might have been my fault.”

Taekwoon took a small breath and blinked at her with narrowed eyes. “What do you mean?”

Her mouth twisted as if she had tasted something bad. “Because I… haven’t done what I was supposed to do. Because I’m here and… he could reach me even in this place,” she sniffed, pulling her knees to her chest. “I thought here at least… we could maybe be okay.” Her face crumpled as she fought tears and shook her head.

Taekwoon was really getting tired of hearing about this ‘he’ figure. “Who is _he,_ Chaerin?” She looked up at him with watery eyes and then dropped her gaze again, holding her silence for some reason. “Fei mentioned a ‘he’ too.” Chaerin’s head rose up and outrage burned bright. Taekwoon ignored it and pressed on, “She’s worried about you. She was trying to tell me something before this. She suspected something was going to happen and she’s sad she can’t protect you.” His words made the other woman fold quickly and she sank back into the covers. “What are you trying to protect each other from?” If he knew, at least he’d have a target or something. Anything was better than this vague man figure.

Chaerin swallowed hard and closed her eyes as her defenses finally seemed to crumble. Defeated by what had happened today, she whispered, “The High Priest.” Taekwoon tensed slightly, even though he had half expected him. “I think you’ve started to suspect already, but… he is our father.”

“Our?” he blinked in confusion. He had only suspected her of being his daughter.

“The other riders,” she explained softly, holding his gaze.

“All of them?” he asked in surprise, brows rising to mirror the feeling. When Chaerin nodded, he shook his head and frowned. “But… Jinki said the Priests weren’t known for that.”

Chaerin pursed her lips and shook her head, a pained expression on her face. “He is not like what you’d expect. He is… so much more,” she explained, her voice cracking on the words.

There was so much left unsaid in that statement, but the fact that Chaerin seemed broken made his inner dragon stir. “Did he hurt you?” he asked carefully, arms tightening just a touch around Jinki’s shoulders.

“No,” Chaerin shook her head and looked away. “Not yet anyway. He threatened… promised,” she corrected with a pained grimace. “He would take my Fei from me if I didn’t at least try to do what he wanted,” she explained, swallowing hard as she wiped at the corner of her eye with the side of her hand. “And I was ready to try. In the old aerie,” she went on, jaw clenching as she stared at a point on the floor. “But then you had him,” she nodded at Jinki. “And you loved your dragons like I love mine. And,” she laughed now, a bitter, broken sound. “You just aren’t affected by me like most men are.” She glanced at him quickly and then away. “I thought I could change my mind if I had to. See what the Aerie had to offer, but everyone was so kind… and then the runes…” she trailed off, anger and pain warring in equal measure. “I’ve been so stupid,” she cried at last, ducking her face against her knees.

Taekwoon wrinkled his nose and gave a small sigh. He didn’t like Chaerin and he knew there’d been a reason for it, but even he couldn’t have predicted this. He could tell that Jonghyun had been listening but was remaining silent for now, and he rather thought he could use Jinki’s insight right now. But… he also knew Henry was due to return any moment and they would lose what privacy they had. Barring something else happening, which was not out of the question but also not likely, he figured they’d at least have until tomorrow to find a time and place to speak more freely. He knew he was tired from the day and he could tell that she was too, if for no other reason than that she’d effectively broken down.

And while she hadn’t told him everything, not even close, it was a start. “Thank you,” he whispered begrudgingly, keeping his eyes trained on her until she picked her head up to look his way. She was surprised and with a fair bit of reason. “For finally being honest with me.”

“It doesn’t matter anymore anyway,” she muttered, looking down again. “I’ve done nothing but dig myself deeper into a hole,” she scowled, angry at herself.

Taekwoon’s mouth thinned and he tried to think of something to say. This was usually Jinki’s forte but… he at least tried to channel him. “A hole doesn’t mean much when you have wings,” he shrugged, knowing that didn’t come out as smooth as he wanted it to when she just looked at him.

He was even more alarmed when she started laughing. And not normal laughing either, but strange body shaking convulsions that made her lean over her legs as she tried to keep it moderately under control. “I’m sorry,” she finally gasped thickly, her voice strangled by tears and laughter. “I just can’t decide if that was brilliant or idiotic.” He made an affronted face at the choices and she continued, “But thank you.”

Taekwoon was mildly miffed when she chose that moment to turn on her side and face away from him, apparently ready for sleep. Well, he was too for that matter. And really, their conversation hadn’t ended a moment too soon as Henry returned not long after. He took longer than usual in the doorway as he cleaned his boots of snow as quietly as he could and then shuffled into the interior, glancing between his patients curiously.

“Everything okay?” he asked, seeing that Chaerin was now lying down and turned away.

“Well enough,” the rider responded, one brow rising as if to indicate he wasn’t entirely sure but it was okay for the time being.

“Huh. Well, let me know if I can help with anything,” he offered, wandering close to peer at the sleeping Jinki. “He looks comfortable.”

“He should be,” Taekwoon smiled, the expression this time warm and genuine.

Henry chuckled and nodded. “Good night, Taekwoon.”

“Night, Henry.”

Of course, it seemed that peace was not to be had regardless. They were woken fairly early by the scowling Master Dragon Healer Hyesung. Henry was just as surprised, waking suddenly when the other man brushed inside without so much as a warning. “I have been told you can read runes,” he stated in Taekwoon’s direction as he started to come around.

“Huh?” the dragonrider blinked, very much confused.

“Can you read runes?” he asked again, sharper but slower this time, as if Taekwoon himself was a bit slow.

“Yes,” he grumbled in response, not particularly caring for the other man’s approach.

“What’s wrong?” Jinki asked, sitting up and trying to make sense of things as quickly as possible.

“Can they move?” he asked of Henry without paying much attention to the patients themselves.

“Yes,” Henry nodded automatically, frowning when the word escaped him before he could even think about it.

“Master Hyesung!” Jinki snapped, summoning his Aerie Master voice.

To his credit, the Dragon Healer flinched and then turned to see Jinki, blinking as if he was noticing him for the first time. “My apologies,” he murmured after a brief pause, giving a slight bow. “I have discovered something that I have determined cannot wait, given what happened the other day, and Taekwoon appears to be in command of skills I am in need of.”

Well… when he put it that way. “I’m good,” Taekwoon soothed, pressing a hand against Jinki’s back reassuringly. “Let me get the rest of my clothes and I’ll be right there,” he answered, looking at Hyesung now.

“Good,” the taller man nodded, stepping back and out of the way as he waited impatiently for the other to start moving.

“Why are you worried about runes?” a newly awakened and just as confused Chaerin asked, blinking at him.

“Because I have discovered some,” he answered succinctly.

“Where?” she chirped immediately, but frowned when he ignored her. “If you won’t tell me, then I’m coming too,” Chaerin grumbled, getting out of bed immediately even as Henry moved his hands like he was going to stop her. She stumbled a touch and caught herself on the edge of the bed. “Ow…” she scowled, knees trembling slightly before she got them under control again.

“Sudden movements and after effects of shock and your ordeal don’t mix well,” Henry cringed semi-apologetically. She gave him a mute glare but said nothing as she started moving to catch up to Taekwoon. Jinki was getting ready too, his presence uncontested even if it wasn’t asked for.

“I guess I’ll just stay here with Junsu then,” Henry mused with a shrug as he took his seat again. “Don’t push anything too hard though,” he warned at the trio getting ready to leave.

“We won’t,” Jinki promised, hovering close to Taekwoon as they gathered in front of Hyesung.

“This way,” the Dragon Healer summoned, turning on his heels and leading the way out.

Taekwoon took point with Jinki right behind him and Chaerin bringing up the rear. They walked quickly in the cold but bright early morning and made their way towards one of the caves nearby. There was but a single dragon body within – the white that had crashed.

“Taemin,” Jinki winced, not having seen the results first hand. “Is Jiyeon alright?” he asked of Hyesung automatically.

“She is unharmed,” the Dragon Healer responded by rote, moving closer to the dragon body and carefully lighting one of the glass candle lamps. When he could virtually feel Jinki’s annoyance towards him, he sighed and turned his head to look. “She has just lost her dragon. Bonded or not, it hurts. Of course she is not alright.” Jinki winced and Taekwoon stepped forward slightly as if to challenge him, but was waved over anyway without even a blink of concern from the other man. “Look here,” the Dragon Healer pointed as he lifted Taemin’s wing to reveal a rune etched into his skin where it would not be easily seen or found. “I was looking to see if there was any indication of why they acted the way they did and I found these…” Hyesung trailed off, frowning.

Taekwoon’s nostrils flared even before he summoned his dragon sight. This was not a good rune. “Control,” he swallowed once, reaching out to brush his fingers against Jinki’s arm.

“How cruel,” Hyesung sighed with a shake of his head. “Dragons are not meant to be controlled,” he added as he set the wing down and shifted again, this time picking up Taemin’s front arm. In the crease where the joint met the body was another rune. “This one?”

“Obedience,” the dragonrider growled, not liking where this was going.

“Bahamut’s teeth,” the Dragon Healer exhaled, shuffling to a back foot. “I found another here,” he explained, grabbing the limb and hefting it up.

“Three?” Chaerin murmured, biting her lip uncertainly.

“That I saw,” Hyesung clarified. “What is it?” he asked, looking at Taekwoon expectantly.

The dragonrider shivered and winced. “Binding.”

“Like Symbiosis?” the older man asked, brows rising in surprise.

“I think this one’s different,” he exhaled, knowing that it felt different. This one seemed more… controlling. Not as symbiotic. “And…” he trailed off, still using his dragon sight which meant his instincts were sharper. Something was itching against his skin. “There’s another I think,” he whispered, turning his head from side to side as he tried to pinpoint it.

“Where?” Hyesung asked, standing up and stepping back to look over the body again.

Focused, Taekwoon inched closer and let his hand drift in front of him, slowly moving towards the dragon’s head. He touched the cold face, wincing internally at the sensation, and then drifted up to the horns. His fingers brushed against something that made his skin tingle and he looked closer, under the arch of the horns. “Here,” he glared, able to see the marking even without the light from Hyesung’s candle. “Sight.”

“Sight for the dragon?” he wondered aloud, not as up to speed on these matters.

“For someone else,” Chaerin answered, exchanging a look with Taekwoon.

“But who?” the Dragon Healer asked honestly, shaking his head in confusion.

Taekwoon saw Chaerin start to open her mouth to answer but Jinki beat them to it. “ _That_ is a good question,” he interjected quickly, emphasizing the first word to catch their attention as fast as possible. “Have you tried looking at Ken and JR yet? Do they have these markings as well?” he wondered, almost deftly setting the Dragon Healer’s mind on another focus.

“I haven’t. Do you think they’ll have them too?” he asked with interest.

“I do,” Taekwoon agreed, glancing at Chaerin again before focusing on the Dragon Healer.

“It might be a good idea to confirm while we go speak with Master Satoru about what we’ve discovered. If you have new information, it would certainly be helpful to the Aerie Master,” Jinki encouraged, bowing politely towards Hyesung in what was obviously a subtle dismissal.

Hyesung didn’t seem to mind or particularly notice as he moved to immediately follow the other trail of thought. “The injured dragons didn’t have any markings. Why these ones? I wonder if they’ll be the same,” he muttered as he walked by quickly.

“Well done,” Chaerin blinked in surprised amusement.

“It’s what he does,” Taekwoon shrugged with a proud nod at his other half.

“Not all the time,” Jinki countered, though he was pleased by the attention all the same. “But in all honesty, we do need to speak to the Aerie Master.”

“Will he be awake?” Chaerin asked, obviously nervous.

Taekwoon listened with half an ear as he brushed against Jonghyun to confirm what had just happened. _What does this combination on the dragon mean? I have no doubt the High Priest is behind it, but how and why do they work?_

Jonghyun thought for a moment before he offered any sort of explanation. _The obedience and control work close. But from far away, not as well. Binding would make ties strong enough. I think. And sight… so they can see through dragon eyes. Like me with you, but other way,_ he explained, clearly frustrated. If the unspoken emotions were any indication, he was likely a bit distressed too. Or Jongup was. Or both.

_So the High Priest gave us spies and treachery in the forms of dragons?_ Taekwoon clarified, hands balling into fists as they moved from the cave and in the direction of Satoru’s office.

_Yes._

_Bahamut curse him,_ the rider scowled, hating the priest even more for the harm he was causing. _Could riders know?_

 _Unless they are like you… no,_ Jonghyun responded pityingly.

None of them deserved that. Wonshik, Jiyeon, Aron… Wonshik especially had been so happy to have a dragon. Ken was still alive but unless they could figure out how to undo what was done to them, he couldn’t be trusted. The thought made him pause and he frowned harder. _Binding. We were bound. If the High Priest was responsible, would it be possible for him to make us do something too?_

Jonghyun clearly didn’t like that thought. _No!_ It was a knee-jerk reaction and they both knew it. After a few heartbeats, he admitted in a quieter tone, _Unsure. No control or obedience runes. But… maybe._

The response and possibility made Taekwoon shudder. Jinki noticed and leaned close. “You alright?”

“I’m not sure,” he admitted softly, glancing at Chaerin who was watching them.

“Come on. Let’s hurry. Master Satoru will have to have some answers,” Jinki explained as they hurried into the foyer. The mural was more uncovered since the last time Taekwoon had seen it and he could start to see what the image beneath was like. Bahamut was probably bound in that frame and around him, he could see what might have been priests… But then he turned to look at Jinki as his other half knocked on the door. “Master Satoru? Are you here?”

It would be unusual if he wasn’t. The Aerie Master practically lived in his office, especially since he had a bed to sleep in nearby in addition to his private room in the Living Quarters. Jinki knocked again when there was no answer and then tried the door. Not unexpectedly, it was unlocked and it swung open easily enough. The room was dark and only the early rays of the morning light came in through the single opaque window.

Jinki stepped in and stopped suddenly. “Master Satoru?” he asked quietly, prompting Taekwoon to step inside and see for himself.

His gut twisted when his dragon half smelled something metallic. “Blood,” he exhaled, sharpened sight honing in on the Aerie Master’s seated body leaning over the desk, one arm splayed out strangely and a dark stain marring the surface as it dripped to the floor. He heard Chaerin gasp behind him.

“Master Satoru!” Jinki shouted, bolting to the desk before Taekwoon could react fast enough to stop him. He had almost reached him before he stopped short and backpedaled in horror, eyes fixated on a point beyond the desk.

Now Taekwoon caught up to him, grabbing his shoulders in firm hands and pulling him close as he took in the sight. “High Dragon Commander Eric…” he whispered, horrified by the ugly, yawning wound in his throat. His hand clung to a bloody dagger.

“By Bahamut, they’re dead,” Chaerin whimpered, coming around and hovering close enough to Taekwoon that she could actually touch him. For once, he didn’t mind. The scene before him made everything else seem small in comparison…


	37. ...of the End?

For Taekwoon, the shock was there but it wore off quickly enough. His heart still hammered in his chest and he felt sick but he approached the desk carefully, swallowing hard. It was obvious that Commander Eric was dead. There was no sign of life, but despite all the blood under Satoru, he needed to check.

“Taekwoon…” Jinki said in a breathy whisper.

He didn’t look back, his attention focused on the man before him. Trembling hands reached down and pressed against the nearest arm. His body flinched when the touch made his skin itch. Magic… But he pushed it aside as he used his other hand to brush the hair from Satoru’s face, allowing him to see. There was no obvious sign of life but he leaned close and listened hard. Was that…? Taekwoon gasped and reached down to place his fingers in front of Satoru’s mouth and nose. There! Thin and shallow but there was moving air. “He’s alive!” he exhaled, looking back at Jinki and Chaerin.

“He is?!” Jinki exclaimed, bolting to his side to check for himself.

“Help me with him!” Taekwoon commanded, hopping over the desk and carefully lifting Satoru away from it so they could get a better look at what they were working with.

“Careful!” Jinki warned, frantic energy making him shaky. “Oh Bahamut, that looks bad…” he trailed off, biting his lip as he came around the desk the long way.

“Chaerin. Go get Master Mimi,” Taekwoon ordered without looking up, keeping his focus on the stab wound in the Aerie Master’s chest. Right side. Deep puncture through the bone. Missed the heart but… might have pierced a lung by the wound position.

“But-”

“Now!” he snapped, looking up and glaring at her with wild eyes. She inhaled sharply and made a surprised sound before she backpedaled and fled the room.

“What do we do?” Jinki asked uncertainly, hands fluttering over Satoru’s body.

Shards if Taekwoon knew. He took a breath and looked around for some sort of cloth. “There!” he pointed at the small towel on the sitting table nearby. “We need to try and stop the bleeding,” he explained as he awkwardly pulled the bloody fabric around the wound and pressed down with his hands.

“Okay,” Jinki swallowed, rushing over to the table. He bumped into the chair and nearly stumbled when he did so, but he grabbed the cloth and returned quickly. “Here.”

“Thanks,” Taekwoon nodded, using the cloth to try and staunch the flow of blood.

“Why would Eric…?” Jinki trailed off, completely lost to the situation.

“I don’t kno- oh Bahamut’s breath,” Taekwoon scowled, a pained expression crossing his face. “ _Can you check on Eric’s dragon?_ ” he asked, speaking aloud and through his connection so both Jinki and Jonghyun would hear.

_Yes,_ came the immediate reply. His dragon had obviously been listening in but was remaining silent for the time being.

“Oh Andy…” Jinki sighed, raising his hand to his mouth as he glanced at the Commander’s body. “Taekwoon,” he murmured pitifully, clearly not prepared for this.

To be fair, Taekwoon wasn’t either. He wasn’t even sure how he was functioning as well as he was, but for now, he could only do what he could do. _We here,_ Jonghyun reminded him, sending a supporting feeling that made Taekwoon swallow hard. Of course. Even when they weren’t here they were. _Gold alive. Not moving though. Sad. Lost,_ he explained bitterly, the harsh tone moving through the bond easily.

_I see,_ Taekwoon answered with a nod, nearly jumping out of his skin when Chaerin returned with Master Mimi in tow.

The Healer took one quick look at the scene and made an immediate run towards Satoru. Henry and Himchan followed quickly but froze in the doorway, completely caught off guard by what they saw. “Henry. With me!” Mimi snapped as he brushed Taekwoon and Jinki away, deftly maneuvering into place and looking over the badly injured man. “Himchan. Attend the Commander!”

“Yes, sir!” they stammered in near unison, breaking apart awkwardly as they moved to do as commanded.

Without looking up, Mimi continued calling orders for the remainder of the people present. “Jinki. Go find Captain Yunho. Chaerin. Retrieve Master Hyesung. Taekwoon. Guard the doors. Make sure no one comes in,” he finished tersely, face a mask of concentration and focus as he worked quickly.

“He’s dead,” Himchan whispered as he looked up from Eric’s body.

“Then help us,” Mimi answered with a short wave as he nodded at Henry to help him move the body on top of the desk. “What are you still doing here?” he asked quickly as he realized the others hadn’t moved yet. “Go!”

Taekwoon and Jinki flinched and started for the door automatically. Chaerin was closest and she ducked through with no hesitation. At the entrance, Taekwoon just looked at Jinki and held his hand tightly, searching the other man’s face. “It’ll be alright,” he promised, though he did not know that in the least.

“You’re right,” Jinki nodded nervously, the reaction involuntary if anything. “Be safe,” he urged, brushing his other fingers against Taekwoon’s face before he reluctantly pulled away.

“You too,” Taekwoon responded, watching his other half hurry off to find Captain Yunho. _Go tell Gain about Andy. She’ll know more about what to do,_ he urged his dragon as he looked around the Aerie and noticed curious and worried eyes starting to look his way. His stomach twisted when he looked down and saw his hands were blood stained and he fled inside, closing the doors firmly behind him.

It did not take long for Chaerin to return with Master Hyesung who disappeared inside quickly, leaving the riders outside. And then Jinki returned with Captain Yunho in tow, face pale and drawn. He nodded at Taekwoon once and hurried inside, leaving the trio without once more. Their thoughts were heavy but their mouths were silent, having no words to speak about what had happened or why yet. They flinched when Henry and Himchan emerged quickly, sprinting to the Healing Hall. Just as quickly, they returned with arms full of medical equipment and supplies.

A moment later, Himchan returned with shadowed eyes and moving at a much slower pace. “I’m supposed to go watch Junsu now,” he murmured as if moving by rote instead of voluntarily.

And even when he left, the three stayed within the enclosure of the foyer, not sure where their place was. _Gain with gold. We will see._

 _Thanks._ There was nothing else he could say yet. Taekwoon wanted to try and put things together, but his thoughts were too full of Eric’s death and Satoru’s injury. Murder was not something he was so familiar with but in the brief time he’d spent within, it didn’t seem as if Satoru could have killed Eric. He had no weapon and their positions were wrong for it. Or so it felt. If he had to guess, he would say that Eric had stabbed Satoru and then apparently took his own life. But it made no sense and for the moment, was otherwise impossible or unbelievable. He _would_ not believe it.

The energy inside the Aerie Master’s office was tense and frantic and it seemed as if the energy outside was also worried. It was oppressive being caught in the middle. They were spared only slightly when Master Hyesung stepped out with a weary and pained expression on his face. He was followed by Captain Yunho who seemed equally drawn and depressed. “Go let the riders know, Commander Yunho,” he urged, giving the newly promoted rider a gentle shove on his shoulder. “They will know soon enough if they don’t already by Andy’s reaction, whatever it is,” he added sadly.

“He’s alive,” Taekwoon offered softly, stomach clenching when both men turned to look at him. “I had my dragon check and he confirmed Andy lives. Gain is with him now,” he continued with a small bow. He wasn’t sure if he’d overstepped or not but he had had to do something.

Hyesung offered a rare smile and nodded in approval. “Well done.” Yunho mirrored the action and then stepped out without another word. Then the Dragon Healer focused on Jinki with a pitiable expression. “With Satoru’s condition, you are now the Acting Aerie Master. We will send for Yongguk shortly but until then, you must take his place for the time being.

“But I’m not-”

“Yes you are,” Hyesung told him firmly. “You have to be,” he stated, his words fact instead of opinion. “Gather them in the dining hall and tell them what you know. Explain that Eric is dead and Satoru is gravely injured but we don’t know why or from who. Be calm, be sure, and reassure them,” he explained in short firm sentences.

Jinki nodded quickly, the tension in his body relaxing just a touch with the direct instructions. “Okay. I can… I can do that,” he murmured, looking at Taekwoon with an obvious gnawing uncertainty that he couldn’t.

“My heart,” he soothed, pressing his forehead to Jinki’s as he tried to offer what support he could. “You were born for this,” he smiled, watching a similar expression blossom across the other man’s face. But his eyes were slightly unfocused and Taekwoon sent a curious touch in Jonghyun’s direction.

_Mate helps._

 _Good,_ he smiled in understanding. “Now go,” he urged, kissing his other half quickly and nudging him towards the door.

He wasn’t even gone before Hyesung pointed at Chaerin and instructed, “You. Go find a runner. We will need to send a message. Probably several.” She jumped when his attention landed on her but then nodded and fled the room quickly, almost glad to be away from them and the area. “You,” he pointed at Taekwoon with an unreadable expression. “Inside.”

Confused but not one to argue, Taekwoon glanced over his shoulder at where everyone had been and then followed the Dragon Healer indoors. He was unsure about what Hyesung wanted, especially as he was led to the unconscious and covered body of Master Satoru. He could feel both Hyesung and Mimi’s hesitation and it was considerably more awkward coming from Henry who was still hovering, clearly at a loss as to what he should be doing.

Mimi took pity on him at least and waved him off. “Henry. Why don’t you go make the rounds of the Aerie and make sure no one needs attention. Himchan is looking after the Healing Hall but you know some people are hesitant to go. Especially during this time of year,” he explained, giving the younger healer all the excuse he needed to bow out.

“Of course,” he murmured, slightly glassy eyed from the shock of it all, if Taekwoon had to guess. They saw injuries aplenty – the Aerie was full of possible dangers and accidents – but violent deaths like this were uncommon. Moving stiffly, as if his body knew what to do but his mind didn’t, he left the room without a second glance back, leaving Taekwoon alone with the Healers and the weight of their thoughts.

“You can read runes,” Hyesung stated simply as he leveled his gaze upon the dragonrider expectantly.

“Hyesung,” Mimi interjected weakly, uncomfortable with the directness his counterpart was using.

“Now is not the time for discretion around this one,” the Dragon Healer snorted, gesturing meaningfully at Taekwoon. “You can be sure he knows more than he’s told us.” At Taekwoon’s surprised look, he laughed once, the sound dry and unamused. “Gain says little, as do your dragons, but they are eager to move any conversation away from you.”

Taekwoon didn’t know whether to feel pride or outrage or annoyance first. A brush from Jonghyun let him know his dragon was there and it immediately helped settle him, despite the tone the Dragon Healer had taken. His snooping, or attempting to snoop, didn’t matter in light of more recent events so Taekwoon took his dragon’s support, held tight, and faced the other man head on. “What runes do you need me to read?” he asked directly, catching Hyesung slightly off guard if the mildly surprised reaction was any indication. Both he and Jonghyun shared a moment of smug satisfaction in response.

It faded just as quickly when the Dragon Healer stepped aside and pulled the covers back to reveal Satoru’s upper body. “These,” he stated simply, pointing out ruined runes on the Aerie Master’s right arm and untouched runes on the left arm.

Once again, Taekwoon’s stomach knotted and he knew without knowing that these were not good runes. He recognized binding and the others felt… bad. Switching to his dragon sight, he flinched as if struck. Some of the runes were new. He hadn’t seen them in the book and it made him… sick to know that someone was actively creating new ones or had somehow found runes they did not wish to share since the book he had was written.

“That’s not a good reaction,” Mimi mused, chewing on the inside of his lip as a frown marred his forehead with a deep wrinkle.

Taekwoon approached Satoru’s body slowly and he pointed out the runes as he moved along the arm. “Binding paired with silence. Geas paired with obedience. Sight…” he trailed off, face pinching in realization that whoever – the High Priest most likely – was behind this could see whatever Satoru saw.

“And this arm?” Hyesung asked, his tone unchanged though his expression was dark.

Reluctantly, the dragonrider shifted to see the ruined runes and he winced. “They are the same except this one is control and there is no geas rune.”

“So he destroyed the runes as an act of defiance and was rewarded with a stronger one?” Mimi whispered in horror, his face pitying and sad.

“It looks as if that is the case,” Hyesung sighed heavily, arms crossing over his body as he scowled at what they were dealing with.

Released from the task of reading the runes, Taekwoon was free to actually look at Satoru now. His chest was liberally covered with wraps to keep the bleeding down, though he had bled through at least a little bit. It was likely they were leaving it in place so it would stop before they tried removing it again… “Will he be alright?” he asked quietly into the resultant silence, the words heavy on his tongue.

Both Healers turned to look at the wan figure they were treating and they shared similar sighs. “He is in Bahamut’s hands now,” Mimi grimaced, fingers picking at each other as he stared. “We’ve done what we can to help him but…”

“It’s almost a miracle he hasn’t died yet. If Eric did this, like we have reason to believe, the Commander had more than enough skill to make this fatal,” Hyesung scowled, shooting a glance at the covered and laid out body of the deceased nearby.

“They were friends though. _Good_ friends,” Mimi countered with an automatic negating gesture.

“I’m not arguing that, but he had runes on his body too.” Hyesung let his gaze slip from Mimi to settle on Taekwoon expectantly for a moment before he looked back at Satoru’s body.

Almost unable to help himself, Taekwoon strode over to the covered body and reached for the jacket – Eric’s jacket – that was covering the top half of him. “Taekwoon…” Healer Mimi started to say, making the dragonrider look over. His pained expression told him all he needed to know and Taekwoon nodded once in understanding.

“I need to see,” he explained simply, swallowing hard as he steeled himself for whatever he might see. In his periphery, he saw the Healer nod slowly in acknowledgement and Hyesung shuffled closer, waiting expectantly. When Taekwoon pulled the jacket back, there was nothing left to hide the horror of the wound that had ended Eric’s life and he felt his stomach twist and revolt at the up close and horrid sight.

_Imagine like fresh kill,_ Jonghyun tried to be helpful, the words sensible but not useful in this situation.

_He is a human! Not just an animal!_ Taekwoon snapped back, wincing immediately after the words left him. Smarting, he felt his dragon pull back and guilt added to the horror. _Jong…_ he trailed off as he let the jacket fall back into place while he gathered himself to try again. It was true that the Commander was a human but he was also dead, not unlike a… fresh kill. Being offended about the difference now did no one any good and was almost useless outrage.

Instead, he turned it towards an easier target: the High Priest. He had no guarantee it was Kevin that was behind this but he was more than ready to say it regardless. Fueled by that anger, he clenched his jaw and lifted the jacket once more. The sight had not changed and it was still terrible, but it didn’t hit Taekwoon so hard. This time, it felt more removed, like looking at something through a lens – there but slightly removed. His nostrils flared on the smell of drying blood and he let his dragon half rise to the surface where the creature could react more steadily than himself.

Together, they looked over the bare chest where two runes were etched, one on either side of his breast. “Binding paired with control,” he confirmed, anger continuing to fuel his observation.

“There are some on his back as well,” Hyesung offered over Mimi’s brief but small sound of objection.

Determined, Taekwoon nodded once and let the jacket fall as he reached to heft the other man up, grunting slightly at the substantial dead weight. He was not a light man and his stiffening lack of life made him heavier still. The dragonrider’s eyes narrowed at the runes of, “Sight and hearing.” Further down and in the middle of his back was one more. “Silence.”

Hyesung made a thoughtful sound and drew their attention as Taekwoon lowered Eric’s body back to the ground. “So both men were bound to silence and while Satoru has been under a bound geas, Eric could actually be controlled. If that is the case, it is not impossible that whoever set these runes took control of him to attempt to slay Satoru and then had him turn the blade on himself.”

“If he was being controlled, then why isn’t Satoru dead?” Mimi asked uncertainly, his posture uncomfortable.

“Because Commander Eric was probably fighting it,” Taekwoon murmured as he stared at the now covered body again. “A chest wound is not a guaranteed kill, especially if you don’t hit the heart. But it’s enough to make it look like death.”

“The other possibility is that he – or whoever is behind this - wasn’t trying for a definite kill,” Hyesung offered with a wave of his hand and a disgusted twist to his mouth. “That,” he started, gesturing at Eric’s body, “there is no coming back from. This…” he added, gesturing at Satoru’s slowly breathing body as he trailed off, letting them fill in the blanks.

The really frustrating part about what Hyesung was saying was that both were possible. Taekwoon wanted to believe that Commander Eric had at least put up a fight about it, but he couldn’t deny it would be an equally effective threat or warning, if Satoru survived. He growled in irritation and hit his thigh with his fist, but offered no other words. He had none.

“As of right now, I believe we should treat this as an attack on the Aerie and not a possible personal feud gone bad,” Hyesung sighed, his eyes tired and dark.

“The Aerie?” Mimi murmured, shaking his head slightly as if he’d misheard.

Hyesung nodded with a glance at Taekwoon and a small shrug. “With both heads of the Aerie incapacitated, one way or another, we have lost our guiding leadership.”

“But what about Jinki and-” Taekwoon automatically tried to defend, rising to his feet.

“Untried and unprepared stand-ins for this moment,” Hyesung snapped irritably. “It is true that Commander Yunho is more prepared due to his years and combat experience in the field, but Jinki only knows such things in theory,” he explained flatly, stating facts instead of insults.

“Well, he only needs to fill in for a little while,” Healer Mimi urged, moving his hands in a calming gesture in front of him.

“ _If_ Yongguk is able to be recalled, he will be in a similar position as Yunho. More prepared but neither have had to take on responsibility like Eric or Satoru have. It is entirely likely that was the point, given what we’ve seen so far,” he scowled, shoulders bowing and tone sharp at his own helplessness.

None of what Hyesung said sat well with Taekwoon. Again, it was largely because he couldn’t deny it being possible. He didn’t know why but… if it really was High Priest Kevin, he couldn’t begin to guess what the man was trying to do. But… he knew who might. Perhaps she had spoken to him in confidence, or not, but as the Dragon Healer had mentioned, now was not the time for discretion. At least not when it came to information. Taekwoon bowed his head and sighed heavily, reaching for his dragon for support or comfort. The space was mostly empty but he was so very glad when a thin tendril of connection pulsed between them. Jonghyun was still hurt but he hadn’t abandoned him. _I’m sorry,_ he apologized sincerely, pushing all the feelings he could at his dragon.

_I know. Still wrong,_ came the quick reply.

Taekwoon winced and Hyesung looked at him. “What is it?” he asked, stepping closer to the younger man.

Reluctantly, the dragonrider let the connection thin again and turned his gaze up to meet the Dragon Healer. “You were right,” he admitted, licking his lips and shifting in place uncertainly. One arched brow from Hyesung and a confused sound from Mimi later, he went on, “I haven’t told you everything.”

The Dragon Healer gave Mimi a look that screamed, ‘Told you,’ but held his tongue as his peer made an irritated face in response. “Well. What do you know then?” he asked as he moved his hand in a prompting motion.

Taekwoon took a breath again and nodded to himself, bottom lip caught between his teeth. “I may know who’s behind this.” Both Healers inhaled sharply, exchanging uncertain looks. “And… Chaerin may know more about what could happen next,” he added, glancing between them quickly. It felt wrong to give her up like that, but if Hyesung was right and if what Jinki had been thinking had a chance of coming to pass, he didn’t have the luxury of being courteous anymore.

“Well that is interesting,” Hyesung murmured as he brushed his bottom lip with his thumb. “And bigger than us now,” he added with a glance at Mimi.

The Healer nodded in understanding and took a breath. “Right. I’ll go summon-”

“No,” Hyesung cut him off quickly, startling both Taekwoon and Mimi. “Take care of Satoru. Move him back to the Healing Hall. Humans are your forte after all. I will summon the leaders to discuss what will happen next,” he murmured, face tight as he glanced at the two bodies in the room: one cold and dead; the other possibly dying. “Taekwoon.”

“Yes?” he answered with a start, not expecting to be called out by name just then.

“Go get Chaerin. Make sure she is ready to attend,” Hyesung instructed, turning to nod at Mimi before he straightened his bloody clothes, brushed his disheveled hair back, dusted his stained hands off, and exhaled forcefully as he walked out of the office.

Taekwoon licked his lips before he looked at Healer Mimi again. His eyes fell to Satoru’s body and he winced again. “I can get Henry if that would…”

“Yes. Please,” Mimi agreed automatically, fingers moving to pull at the bindings gently, fretfully. “I should not move him alone and you’re not trained for it,” he added, clinging to what he did know.

“Of course,” the dragonrider nodded, swallowing once. Now that things were starting to calm down, he could feel the shock of it all beginning to set in.

“Taekwoon,” Healer Mimi called when he started to head out. The dragonrider paused and looked back expectantly. “I’m sorry I was right,” he sighed, glancing down at the markings on Satoru’s arms meaningfully.

“Me too,” Taekwoon agreed with a small nod. Before either of them could think of anything else to say, he hurriedly stepped out and gently closed the door behind him, using it as a shield. He was not ready for this. Any of it, and his body trembled at the realization. For a long moment, he remained frozen where he was, unable to move, until the outer door swung open almost too fast and startled him with a blast of cold air. He gasped, feeling the beginnings of fear tickle his belly, before he realized what it was.

_Foolish rider,_ his dragon chided from outside, looking in with a baleful amber eye that seemed to fill the doorway. It didn’t but it felt that way.

“Jong…” he almost whimpered, the sound thin and tremulous.

A warm exhale washed over Taekwoon as his dragon sighed with a roll of his eyes. Then he jerked his head in a universal gesture that, paired with the beckoning feeling within, was impossible to misunderstand. Weak legs propelled Taekwoon to his dragon’s side. He wrapped his arms around the dragon’s neck and pressed himself hard against the warm breast, feeling the great heart beating against his skin. _I am here. Always,_ he promised as his neck arched so he could press his jaw against Taekwoon’s back, the motion an awkward but welcome embrace.

_Thank you,_ Taekwoon breathed, grounding himself with his dragon’s scent and heartbeat. Their connection was still there, as always, and Jonghyun offered what strength he could, shoring up his rider’s failing reserves.

_No time for weakness now. Battle has only just begun,_ he warned sadly, taking a deep breath that pushed Taekwoon out and then brought him close as he exhaled.

Taekwoon mirrored the action and nodded, closing his eyes tight. _You’re right._

 _Of course,_ came the immediate response, honest but also teasing, just a touch. _Go now. I get Fei. You get rider. We meet to talk._

 _You don’t have to come,_ Taekwoon murmured, opening his eyes as he reluctantly stepped back, one hand staying in contact.

_I do,_ his dragon replied instead, shaking his head. _Mate not leave your mate. I not leave my mate. Need one to talk for Fei,_ he added reluctantly, clear disdain in his tone.

_Bahamut save me. What would I do without you? Or Jinki for that matter…_ he trailed off, looking down with a grimace.

_Don’t know. Rather not find out,_ Jonghyun quipped, nudging his rider with his nose to get him moving.

_Likewise,_ Taekwoon agreed with a grimace, though he did start moving. _Let me know if anything happens with Fei. I’ll call if I need help too,_ he explained, already stepping away as he had a new goal in mind.

_Will do,_ his dragon responded, loudly turning before his footsteps receded, leaving Taekwoon to his thoughts and the curious and worried stares of those residents who had not remained inside, as recommended. Or who hadn’t gone to the general summons that Jinki had made. Or perhaps that was done. It mattered little. They had a new goal now and anything was better than dwelling on what had happened.

But first… Henry. Then Chaerin. Then Jinki and the rest of the leaders… He was not going to enjoy the next conversation, he knew.


	38. Unpleasant Truths

At last, they were ready to begin. Finding a secure space for them to speak freely that was also large enough for dragons had been surprisingly challenging. Taekwoon found it insulting, but he realized it was probably intentional once the dragons had lost their intelligence. There was little need to seek their counsel after all. Regardless, they found themselves in one of the larger dragon caves near the top of the mountain. It was likely even the most determined of eavesdroppers would have trouble hearing them should anyone be trying to listen in.

Taekwoon felt no unusual itchiness so he didn’t think there was magic in the area, but he was more cowed by the general collection of people present. He had no problem with them, though he certainly felt… inadequate in comparison. Of course Jinki and Yunho were there. He had expected Seunghyun to be present as well, especially since they would likely see some kind of fighting before too long. Paramour Heechul was in attendance, surprisingly enough, as was Dragon Master Dongwan. Dragon Healer Hyesung had taken it upon himself to remain present and that left Taekwoon with his dragons, Chaerin with hers, and Hero and Minwoo.

The two silvers had positioned themselves at the outermost part of the cave and were obviously both guarding it from without and within. Large as she was, Fei had been positioned at the fore next to Chaerin, moderately fenced in, almost as if she was on trial. Jongup was further in the cave than the rest but that was only because he had made sure to position himself near Jinki who looked, for lack of a better word, overwhelmed. Taekwoon genuinely felt bad for him. He wanted nothing more than to whisk them both away and promise him that everything would be alright, but… it was foolish to even think so. With Eric dead, things were already not alright and he highly doubted they would be getting better anytime soon…

“Are we all ready?” Commander Yunho asked, a slight tremor to his voice as he hesitantly stepped into his new role with all the bravado he could.

A chorus of “Yes” rose around him but one objected. “If you would wait one moment,” Dragon Healer Hyesung urged as he eyed the dragons at the opening. “Given the latest events, it might behoove us to check just to make sure.” Taekwoon winced at the implication and he noticed that none of the others realized what the Healer meant yet. “We have to be sure they have no runes that would allow anyone to listen in,” he explained with a shrug, glancing at Taekwoon quickly.

The rider nodded in understanding and acquiescence quickly and then watched to see what the others would do. “Runes?” Dongwan murmured in confusion, brows furrowed as he looked at the dragons and then the Healer.

“Yes,” Hyesung responded, approaching Jongup with easy confidence and a soothing aura. “Taekwoon, if you would,” he called over his shoulder, obviously expectant that the rider would join him.

“Taekwoon?” Yunho automatically chirped in confusion.

The Dragon Healer gave the new Commander a slight smile from his side-eyed gaze. “The rider seems to have a particular instinct for runes, it would appear.”

“Huh,” the Commander sighed, the sensation echoed by the majority in the chamber as speculative gazes turned towards Taekwoon. It was accepted without question when spoken from someone like the Healer but not so easily understood. The confusion was clear enough on all their faces as Taekwoon moved to shadow Hyesung.

“I will check the dragons. Let me know if I miss something or if you feel something from the humans present,” he murmured under his breath as he started to quickly but steadily look over Jongup.

“Yes, sir,” Taekwoon nodded ever so slightly, taking a brief moment to steal a look at Jinki. His other half appeared so pale and fraught and all he could offer was a supportive smile. It wasn’t much, but he did get the ghost of one in response.

_Mates okay._

 _Thank you,_ Taekwoon smiled back, the corner of his mouth turning up in response as he saw the change in Jinki when Jongup gave him some sort of encouragement.

The new Aerie Master pulled his shoulders back and took a breath as he turned to address the audience. “The dragons that attacked the Aerie all bore runes on their bodies,” he explained into the confused silence. His voice was softer than usual but no less strong for it. At least this he knew about. “Due to the nature of the runes, we believe they were being controlled and would prefer not to take that chance with our dragons,” he added with a look towards the entryway.

As Taekwoon made the rounds with Master Hyesung, Jinki took the opportunity to make sure everyone was on the same page about what had happened with the dragons, carefully leaving out what he knew about Eric and Satoru. He steered clear of speculation and was careful about what questions he answered, offering nothing new about runes and the possible repercussions yet. It was not exactly a master class in spinning something out of nothing, but it was more than enough to keep the others distracted and focused on the Aerie Master instead of their own worry or the possibility of someone or something being controlled or altered.

When they were finished making the rounds, Taekwoon was relieved to put his dragon half away and confirm to Hyesung that he had felt nothing from anyone else. Though not entirely surprised, he was strangely grateful that Chaerin and Fei had no evidence of alteration; she gave him a wan smile in her pinched face and shrugged as he gave her a once over. Given what had happened, she seemed resolved to help however she could. It was encouraging, especially since the intention seemed her own and not the puppetry of control. Not only her and her dragon though, even the cave itself seemed clear, beyond the common runes he’d found in several others. As he took his place next to Jonghyun again, he could almost feel the relief from Jinki – both in that there was nothing to worry about for runes and that he could stop talking for the moment. Master Hyesung stepped to the fore to stall Jinki’s final words and gave a thin weary smile. “The room is secure. Let us begin in earnest.”

And so they did. To his credit, Master Dragon Healer Hyesung took the fore in explaining what had happened with Aerie Master Satoru and former Dragon Commander Eric. He allowed no interruptions, quelling any who wished to speak with a sharp eyed glare until he was finished relaying what he’d learned. A brief glance at Taekwoon allowed him to confirm he had spoken correctly in regards to the runes that had been discovered on the Aerie Leaders’ bodies and a glance at Jinki showed it was the new Aerie Master’s turn to help lead the conversation once more.

Paramour Heechul raised his hand first and stepped forward before Jinki could speak, his face tight and pensive. “So you’re saying that there are magic runes that can allow a person to control or spy on others from afar?”

“Yes,” Jinki nodded once, taking a steadying breath.

“And you’re also saying that they have been used on Aerie Master Satoru, High Dragon Commander Eric, and the newest dragons that have joined our ranks?” he went on, making sure he understood everything correctly.

“Correct,” the Aerie Master confirmed again, swallowing noticeably.

He made a sound in the back of his throat and rested his fingers on his chin before he stepped back, gazes introspective once more. Commander Yunho watched him with a furrowed brow and then turned his attention towards Chaerin and Fei. “With such sensitive information, I have to wonder why she is here,” he gestured intentionally, drawing all eyes towards one of the newest additions to the Aerie.

Chaerin shrank noticeably under their scrutiny, reaching back towards her dragon for physical support beyond what she must have been feeling within. For Taekwoon, it was a hair too much for him to just stand by and say nothing. He stepped forward, drawing Yunho’s sharp eyes, and explained, “She is here because I believe she has information we need.” He could feel Jinki’s surprise and mild concern in his gaze, but he was more focused on Jonghyun’s thrumming presence through their bond – pride and a challenge sang in it.

Yunho’s mouth thinned and it was almost like Taekwoon could see his hackles rising. “Beyond your instinct for runes, rider,” he began, intentionally reminding Taekwoon of his status in the Aerie as he glanced at Dragon Healer Hyesung briefly, “why are you here?”

The challenge rose to the fore and he could feel his dragon half rising. _No._ Now was not the time. He clamped down on the sensation, keeping the shift in check. Mostly. “I’m here because I believe I know who’s behind this.”

Audible sounds of surprise from those less informed filled the chamber. “And how would you know that?” Yunho asked almost immediately, tension rising. A low hiss emerged from behind Taekwoon and he could hear Hero’s displeasure.

“Enough!” Hyesung snapped at the same time Heechul stepped forward with a patronizing, “Children!” Taekwoon and Yunho flinched, subsiding immediately as the Healer and Paramour exchanged glances. Hyesung nodded and stepped back while Heechul smiled, a dangerous expression. He turned his dark eyes to Yunho and quipped, “You. Start acting like a Commander. And you,” he added, rounding on Taekwoon swiftly and drawing close. “Stop baiting him.”

“My apologies,” Yunho murmured, bowing repentantly towards the audience and clearing his throat. “It appears there is much we have yet to be informed of,” he explained, taking a breath and visibly grabbing hold of himself with a stern look at his dragon in the back.

“Sorry,” Taekwoon mumbled in apology and bowed his head, contrite. The sensation was mildly echoed by his dragon.

He nearly jumped when Heechul leaned close enough to whisper in his ear, “It’s not entirely your fault.” His voice was understanding, albeit a bit amused.

“Huh?” Taekwoon blinked in surprise, glancing at the Paramour.

“Though he’s only a copper, Jonghyun would make a good leader. He has the protective instincts good leaders do,” he explained with a barely noticeable nod towards Yunho who was busily speaking with Jinki, obviously trying to get up to speed as quickly as possible. “They’re just a bit… selective,” he chuckled with a thoughtful snort as his gaze flickered to Jongup with Jinki and… Chaerin with Fei.

Taekwoon nodded once in understanding, though he bowed his head again. He didn’t doubt Heechul was at least partially right about his assessment. But… he also thought his desire to protect Chaerin might have more to do with who he was trying to protect her from as opposed to any leader inclinations.

_Paramour not wrong,_ Jonghyun shrugged, his voice accepting of the words.

_But maybe not entirely right either,_ Taekwoon couldn’t help but add, glancing at the all too quiet and subdued Chaerin once more.

_We will see,_ his dragon said, chuckling as if it was a foregone conclusion.

“Indeed,” Taekwoon breathed, exhaling softly. He was allowed to wallow in his thoughts for a moment more before Yunho called him back swiftly.

“Right then. I understand the situation a bit better,” Yunho explained as he gestured around the cave with a nod. “I think it’s best that we hear from both Taekwoon and Chaerin first and then ask any questions that we might have. After that, we can begin to plan accordingly.”

“Good idea,” Combat Master Seunghyun offered with a nod of approval that obviously helped steady the new Commander.

_I’m here,_ Jonghyun promised at Taekwoon was called up first.

He held fast to his dragon’s support and took what encouragement he could from Jinki’s tense smile. _I know,_ he answered with the ghost of a smile on his lips. Taking a steadying breath, he opened his mouth and started to speak. “I believe the Bahamut High Priest Kevin is behind everything.” To their credit, no one objected immediately. The shock was obvious and disbelief too, but no one said anything as they allowed him to explain his side. He tried to be objective and not just focus on everything that he thought or felt about the High Priest and his experiences with him, but it was hard. And exhausting. And frightening knowing that he was one of the only ones that actually believed what he was saying. Yet, when he started explaining the runes and the history that he had discovered, they listened. Warily but attentively. These men at least would hear him out first. And they did, leaving Taekwoon feeling empty and adrift in the following silence.

_Well done._

 _It doesn’t feel like it,_ he admitted to his dragon, fighting the urge to simply step back and hide behind him.

_A hard thing to think but look,_ he encouraged with a mental nudge towards the audience.

Taekwoon did as suggested and glanced around, catching Jinki’s smile with relief but also noticing that the listeners were doing just that. Listening. They hadn’t shut themselves off from making a decision outright. Of course they were troubled and doubtful, but their inner turmoil showed clearly on their faces and in their body language. They had yet to decide on the veracity of his words, which was a small triumph in its own right.

“Members of the Aerie,” Chaerin’s soft voice pierced the quiet murmurings like thunder. Complete silence fell and she inhaled quickly, stepping back and hugging Fei’s nose when the gold lowered her head over her rider’s shoulder. “I would like… to add to Taekwoon’s words,” she almost whispered, her voice shaky and uncertain.

“Please,” Paramour Heechul encouraged, moving deftly to flank her other side and offer quiet support in his own way.

She gave him a sidelong glance and looked down before nodding to herself. “Like Taekwoon, I believe…” she trailed off, pursing her lips as her face tightened. “No,” she shook her head, looking up to face them all. “I _know_ the Bahamut High Priest Kevin is behind at least some of this.” Her troubled eyes looked to Taekwoon and she nodded once, even as her hands tightened on Fei’s nose.

“And how do you _know_ this?” Yunho asked, honing in on the emphasis with great curiosity.

Chaerin ran a soothing hand down Fei’s long face and explained, “Because I am his daughter. One of his _many_ children. And I know that he is more than what he appears to be.”

The higher ups of the Aerie had been surprised when Taekwoon spoke. Now… they were simply shocked. And outraged. Her statement attacked the very beliefs they’d been brought up with. A Priest might have one child. Maybe two, but many was almost impossible to fathom. Likewise, that he would be more than what he seemed. The High Priest especially was supposed to be beyond reprisal. He was the embodiment of Bahamut’s light. Or so they were all taught… Even the normally composed Seunghyun could not contain his doubt if the furrow on his brow was any indication.

When the immediate questions and denials rose, Chaerin shrank even further against her dragon, seeking to hide. It made Taekwoon angry. Angry that he didn’t know if it was the magic of the runes – belief – that made them act so or the fact that she was an outsider or if it was their own inability to consider they might be wrong too. He was angry at himself as well, for he didn’t know how to stop them.

Fortunately, he didn’t have to. Fei freed her head and pulled her rider close with one protective arm, bearing her fangs and hissing at the members present. Jongup and Jonghyun shifted closer to offer tentative support, so Taekwoon and Jinki did the same. But tension filled the air, even as her draconic growl echoed in the room.

” _You will listen!_ ” Taekwoon and Dongwan parroted at almost the same time, sharing mildly surprised looks as they understood they were relaying Fei’s words through their own dragons. Taekwoon had spoken with his dragon and Dongwan was just behind, apparently listening first, but they were as one. In tandem, they shrugged and nodded in understanding, both relaxing to allow the words to flow. Hero seemed uncertain in the back and the rest of the audience didn’t quite know what to think either as they listened to the dragon’s thoughts first. “ _I told her she should not come, but she wants to protect me._ ” Her golden head swung around the room, daring anyone to challenge her. No one did. Even Hero was cowed by her righteous anger. “ _I_ will _protect her. But I can’t alone. High Priest is too powerful._ ” She snapped her jaws as if to emphasize her point. “ _So you will listen. And you will help. Because that is what wing mates do!_ ”

Her statement finished, she drew herself up to her full height, golden head nearly brushing the top of the cave. She let her golden eyes scour the interior before she finally let Chaerin go so the young woman might step forward again. “Thank you, Fei,” she smiled up at her dragon before extending the expression and a bow towards Taekwoon and Dongwan for relaying the messages. She had to swallow hard before she could start speaking again, but when she did, her voice was clear and strong, all things considered. “Much of what the High Priest does is kept secret. Hidden so no one may question what he does. I don’t know everything about him, but I do know he is more than what he says he is. The High Priest, though a conduit for the words of the dragon gods,” she spoke, her tone bitter and snide, “should still be a mere man. I don’t know what he is but I know Kevin is more because _I_ am more.” She closed her eyes and when she opened them again, they were glowing silver, like a dragon’s eyes.

Taekwoon felt vindicated in that he had seen her correctly that one time. But there was also confusion. She was not bound to her dragon so how could she have dragon elements? He saw the same question on everyone’s faces, including Jinki’s. When his other half looked at him, he nodded and let his dragon half rise to the front, knowing his own eyes changed by how Jinki flinched ever so slightly.

“Interesting,” Seunghyun mused as if to himself as he glanced between the two dragon-eyed humans.

“Interesting indeed,” Yunho echoed, his face a mask of troubled confusion.

They took a short break not long after that to allow for everyone to process the revelations they’d heard and to take care of any basic needs. No one was exactly allowed to leave the area, due to the nature of what they were talking about, but chamber pots and refreshments were called for. Hero played voluntary mount for Junjin to arrive with the requested food and beverages and then the Master Cook was sent on his way so they could resume their discussion shortly thereafter.

When Chaerin spoke next, the members of the Aerie did listen. She explained she didn’t know how old Kevin was but that he never seemed to change. “Even with all the clothes, there is something about him that resists change. I see it most in his eyes,” she admitted with a frustrated frown. He also had a strange power over dragons that seemed more than even what a Bahamut Priest should have. “The Priests have a stronger connection with the dragons because of their calling, but he… actually seems to _control_ them. Or can anyway. He does not ask. They do as they are told,” she scowled, shaking her head. She also mentioned that every now and then, people and dragons went missing around him. Oh, it was never obvious, but maybe they were sent on an errand they never came back from. Or a request that mysteriously failed. Or something happened to someone on the road. All things that could be easily explained as chance or coincidence, and because they did not happen often and because he was the High Priest, no one thought to question. No one _wanted_ to question.

She explained how he had a place in Kokoshir, the original Temple of Bahamut, but he rarely spent time there. Though she didn’t know where he was when he wasn’t there, she was certain it wasn’t doing the work of a Bahamut Priest. “Oh, he preaches to the masses to maintain their favor, their belief, but his Priests do most of the work for him. He himself does not.” She paused then to take a breath and chew on her lip, fingers picking at each other distractedly. “And recently,” she murmured without looking up. “He had taken a great interest in Taekwoon and his bond with his dragons.” She paused to swallow. “He has spoken of such a thing happening before, nearly two hundred years ago, but he talked about it like he was there,” she explained in confusion, shaking her head. “He was excited when he was talking about it. His special mission for me,” she spat, grabbing her arms as if to protect herself. “Because I am what I am. A woman with the blood of a dragon,” she shrugged, somewhat confused herself. But then she gestured at Taekwoon. “And you are what you are. A man with the soul of a dragon.” Her expression turned flat and cold as she recalled, “He said, ‘Imagine what that would be like. Do you know how much power a child with the blood and soul of a dragon would have?’”

“Huh?” Taekwoon grunted, jerking as if he’d been hit as he connected the obvious dots.

Chaerin didn’t seem to notice, her face still hard as she continued the story. “I said no, but he wouldn’t have that. ‘If you do this for me, I can make sure nothing happens to your Fei. If not…’” she shrugged, trailing off with a disinterested look that turned to disgust. “And I thought I could, so I came here, but I was wrong,” she added angrily. “About so many things…”

Her continued disgust turned to anger personified as the dragons understood all too well the threat implied. Fei’s golden eyes turned to Taekwoon with a hard stare that softened slightly as she moved to put a protective arm in front of her rider once more. The statement was clear. She would protect her and that was what she had been trying to do up to this point.

Taekwoon looked away to find Jinki’s eyes and he flinched just a touch when he saw hurt there. Not really directed at him, but pain nonetheless. Taekwoon shrugged and gestured mutely in apology, though he didn’t know what to say or do. Jinki took a quick breath and waved his hand dismissively before he forced his expression back to a neutral state. “Commander Yunho,” he started, calling the older man’s attention to him.

Lost in troubled thoughts, Yunho jumped at the sound of his voice and then grunted in acknowledgement. “Yes?”

“Given what we can infer from everything we’ve heard today, it’s very likely that the High Priest is also behind the death and injury of Commander Eric and Aerie Master Satoru,” he explained stoically, voice flat but sincere.

The new Commander sighed and shook his head, frowning hard at the implications. “It seems impossible and yet… it’s not something we can discount entirely,” he admitted. “Master Hyesung. Is there any chance that we might hear from Satoru in the near future?” he asked, turning his attention to the healer.

Dragon Healer Hyesung exhaled slowly and glanced around the room. “I do not know. Master Mimi is better briefed on that subject, but as he has not passed on yet, there is a possibility that he will wake. The problem remains the runes he has on his person. He will still be bound by the geas and silence if nothing else, not to mention that the person who put the runes there will be able to look in if they so choose.”

“Shards,” Yunho scowled, turning away as he mulled the problem over in his head.

“Taekwoon,” the healer called as he turned to the younger rider. “Short of destroying the runes like Satoru apparently did the first time, is there any way to stop their power or nullify them somehow?”

Taekwoon started to shake his head in denial but stopped as he really thought about it. He didn’t know of a rune to do what Hyesung was asking, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t one. He’d already seen new ones, which meant there could be one that did such a thing. Or… perhaps one could be made. The runes were dragon language after all. “I don’t know of anything right now, but…” he trailed off, glancing at Jonghyun thoughtfully, “we might be able to make one.”

_Oh?_ his dragon hummed thoughtfully, automatically turning the idea over.

“Interesting. Then see what you can do. I will speak with Master Mimi and see if we can try to rouse Satoru from his non-responsive state,” he grumbled, thoughts already turning elsewhere.

Jinki nodded after listening in and his shoulders dropped, the weight of their situation obviously heavy on them. It lasted for only a breath before he pulled them back and called out, “Masters Dongwan and Seunghyun. Commander Yunho. We have tentatively decided to take the attack on the Aerie Leaders as an attack on the Aerie. Given that we are in the middle of the winter moons, we should be safe enough from overt attacks, but…”

“You think something might be coming when it warms up, don’t you?” Seunghyun asked perceptively, eyes narrowed.

“It’s as good a possibility as any,” Dongwan added darkly. “Our numbers have been growing thin anyway, but with the loss of Eric and Satoru, it does seem to be a sign of more to come.”

“At the very least, it would not hurt us to assume that will be the case and prepare accordingly,” Yunho inhaled deeply, jaw firm.

The Combat Master nodded in agreement and then turned to glance at the gold dragon and her rider. “And what should we do about them?” By his tone, it was clear he was talking about their group as a whole.

Commander Yunho hummed thoughtfully in the back of his throat and grabbed Taekwoon’s attention. “Taekwoon.”

“Sir!” the rider jumped, trying to pretend like he wasn’t listening into the conversation.

“Chaerin will be your responsibility from now on,” he instructed simply, giving a command and nothing more.

“Huh?” Taekwoon blinked as he looked at Chaerin, who he already had very conflicted feelings about, and then back at the Commander.

“Commander Yunho!” Jinki immediately objected with a similar look at Chaerin and then at Taekwoon before settling back on the Commander.

“His wing will look after the rest, as they’ve been doing,” Yunho assured him, “but given their relationship or connection, it seems best that he continues to watch over her. Unless you have an objection to that,” he added, waiting expectantly for Jinki to add something if he felt the need.

“It’s not that…” he admitted quietly, shoulders falling as he let the problem bothering him go. “It’s not a bad idea either,” he admitted reluctantly. Taekwoon blinked in surprise at the change and then shrank slightly when his other half continued. “Especially since he will be in a position to let me know immediately if something happens or if there’s something I should be aware of.” He hadn’t done anything so why did he feel like he was being chastised?

“Very good,” Commander Yunho nodded. “Then I will speak with Dongwan and Seunghyun about what martial preparations might need to be made and leave the running of the day to day affairs with you, Aerie Master,” he ended with a bow in Jinki’s direction.

“Of course,” Jinki responded almost by rote, his voice thin if clear.

Both Jinki and Taekwoon turned to look when they heard Heechul. “Oh stop glaring at me,” the Paramour chided the gold dragon as he approached a very withdrawn Chaerin. “Come on then, my dear. You’ve had a very trying day,” he soothed, pulling her gently against his body in a guiding embrace. Something about the way they were interacting made Taekwoon think the Paramour had known a bit more about what she was going to say today, but now was not the time to ask.

Heechul shepherded Chaerin out and they left the cave by way of Fei. “Come along you two,” Hyesung urged as he brushed at both Taekwoon and Jinki while he moved towards the mouth of the cave. “You’ve business to attend to and I need a ride down,” he explained with a knowing look at Jinki.

“Of course, Master Hyesung,” he nodded slowly, following in the Healer’s wake as Jongup trailed along behind him, nose almost close enough to brush against his back.

Quite a bit of business to attend to indeed. Taekwoon had received answers today, but he was still left with more questions than he cared. As before, the future still appeared to remain very uncertain…


	39. Getting Ready

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick note! I added some content in the second half so if you've already read it as of February 1st, there is some new information I felt prudent to put in. Thank you!

Despite leaving the cave together, neither Taekwoon nor Jinki had much opportunity to talk after they departed. As acting Aerie Master, Jinki had much to start doing until they could hear word from Yongguk in Kokoshir. Taekwoon watched him go, their lightly clasped hands sliding apart reluctantly as his other half headed for the Aerie Master’s tower. His heart ached at the sight of his other half’s shoulders bowing under the weight of his new responsibilities. He found his tongue wouldn’t work either and so could offer no words of encouragement. Really, he wouldn’t even know where to begin…

_Mate goes with him. Always,_ Jonghyun promised with a nod towards the blue trailing at a slight distance.

It wasn’t much, but it was something, and it did make Taekwoon feel a small bit better. _Thank you,_ he murmured in response, still watching the other man cross the Aerie yard.

“I almost envy your youth,” Hyesung commented, his eyes trailing after Jinki as well. When Taekwoon turned to look at him, he snorted softly and shook his head once. “You look as if the world is ending. And yet we’ve seen nothing of its presence just yet,” he added flatly, his eyes shadowed. Taekwoon flinched slightly, the words stinging in their unwanted truth. But then the Healer looked at him and urged, “Come along then. If the end is approaching, we’ve no time to waste.”

“Huh?” the rider blinked in confusion, glancing at his dragon to see if he knew what the other man was talking about. Jonghyun did not.

“Aren’t you going to see the Paramour?” the Dragon Healer asked in genuine surprise.

“Why would I?” he wondered, equally confused.

Hyesung’s brows flattened and his lips thinned. “Considering your previous congress with Gain, I thought it was obvious that you might speak with her about creating a rune.”

Taekwoon blinked quickly as he thought about it. “I… She didn’t even know that the runes were dragon speech until I told her.”

“Huh,” the Healer chirped in immediate acceptance. “Still,” he shrugged, turning to head towards the Paramours’ Quarters. “I imagine you will need a dragon to help you. The young are often creative but not as… capable many times,” he mused, calmly walking off without a backwards glance.

_He means me, yes?_ Jonghyun asked after a confused pause.

_I think so,_ Taekwoon nodded, chewing on his bottom lip.

_Can think of rune…_ the copper grumbled in irritation, fidgeting in place.

His irritation amused Taekwoon just enough to pull him out of his own. _I don’t doubt it, Jong. But… more minds probably wouldn’t hurt._

His dragon obviously wasn’t too keen on the idea, but after another pause, he huffed and exhaled noticeably. _Fine._

 _Alright then. Let’s go,_ Taekwoon grinned, reaching out to pat the copper on the shoulder consolingly.

They went to the Paramours’ Quarters easily enough and were admitted without trouble. Moving into Gain’s room showed them Andy, Commander Eric’s forlorn dragon, and Hyesung already speaking in Trance. Gain was watching over them, but her gold eyes shifted to the pair as they entered immediately. She nodded her head and then lowered it so that her gaze could be level with Taekwoon’s.

“I did not think I might be seeing you so soon,” she commented as he arrived in Trance with her.

“Nor did I,” he admitted with a helpless shrug. “But I must admit to needing your help.”

“Again?” she teased, her tone flatter than normal but the humor obvious in her eyes. She grimaced when she realized her attempt at levity was not what it should be. “Forgive me. Andy’s loss is hard for all dragons to bear.”

“I’m sorry,” Taekwoon murmured automatically, not sure what else to say.

Gain’s face lightened into a genuine smile and she stepped close to caress his cheek with a warm palm. “Your intent I will accept. Your words I will not. You’ve nothing to be sorry for,” she assured him with a hint of her usual strength. When he ducked his head in acknowledgement, she went on, “Now. What help is it that you need?”

She offered no teasing possibilities as she might have done otherwise. Taekwoon had a feeling they would likely fall flat of whatever her intentions might have been. “I need to know if we can create a rune,” he explained simply, hands gesturing out in a sign of helplessness.

“Oh? That is interesting,” she admitted with a gleam in her eye. “What kind of rune?” she wondered aloud, leaning a bit closer.

Taekwoon shrugged half-heartedly and responded, “Something to cancel other runes.”

“As if… to nullify?” she mused aloud, fingers clasping her chin in thought.

“Yes,” he confirmed with a nod. “Or banish, but I think that will work better as it may still have the effect of letting the original user believe they are still working.”

Gain crooned in amused approval. “You would pull the wool over the caster’s eyes would you?” When Taekwoon nodded, she grinned, the expression slightly feral and almost dangerous looking. “I imagine the original creator is the same person that has caused Andy such grief?” she prompted with a side eyed look.

“Probably,” the rider nodded.

“Good enough for me,” she laughed once, waving her hand as if brushing off any other thoughts. “Let’s pull Jonghyun in and see what we might be able to do,” she added, her expression turning slightly distracted and stiff.

Taekwoon jumped when his dragon suddenly appeared from above and came hurtling down to join them. In human form. Jonghyun gave Gain a slightly miffed look and grumbled, “Would have come anyway.”

“I know,” she grinned cheekily and then promptly summoned a table for them to take a seat at. “Let’s begin,” she winked, falling into her chair as she pulled a suddenly there piece of parchment in front of her. Her hands waved above them and she made marks for the runes Taekwoon had shown her previously. “Now. Can you write the runes you’ve seen?” she asked expectantly, pushing the parchment towards him.

Taken aback by how quickly it was moving, Taekwoon blinked and then shuffled to the table as he slowly nodded. “I think so.”

“We can,” Jonghyun promised with a nod.

“Good,” Gain nodded as she waved the copper to the table.

Taekwoon was mentally exhausted when he finally trudged back to the room he shared with Jinki. He wasn’t hungry so he hadn’t bothered to go to the dining hall or the kitchen for an evening meal and he wasn’t even sure that his other half would be there when he got back. Chaerin had left Heechul’s care but the dragons – via Jonghyun – had said they’d help keep an eye on them in the meantime. Good. That was one less thing to worry about.

He did flinch when he opened the door and heard Jinki’s voice first though. “Long day I take it?”

The rider eased inside with a grunt of confirmation and a small breath. “You?”

“The same,” Jinki admitted as he perched on the bed, one knee drawn to his chest and his arms wrapped around it.

“Been waiting long?” Taekwoon asked while he closed the door behind him and took a quick look around before settling himself gingerly beside his other half

Jinki shook his head no and took a breath. “I didn’t get back until recently myself.” He released his hands to rub his face tiredly and sighed, “There was so much to think about in the office today.” His voice was tired and pained, a tremulous sound that let Taekwoon know just how close to exhaustion he probably was.

Gently, Taekwoon pulled Jinki against his chest and held him close, pressing his lips against the top of the other man’s head. “A lot’s happened…” he trailed off with a frown. “Have you heard from Yongguk yet?”

Jinki stiffened slightly and then shook his head in answer. “We probably won’t get a response for a couple days, given the weather…” he trailed off, shifting to wrap his arms around Taekwoon’s waist.

“Anything you wanna talk about?” Taekwoon asked cautiously, knowing there was probably a fair bit he couldn’t, due to his new status.

His other half scoffed and shook his head emphatically against Taekwoon’s chest. “I knew there was a lot of stuff that happened outside of the public eye in the Aerie but I was not prepared for everything that Satoru was taking care of,” he admitted with an obvious grimace. “I spent the whole rest of the day just going through records and trying to figure out where to pick up the pieces. I mean… Yongguk was supposed to be doing this next and… he might be able to come back but in case he doesn’t…” he almost whimpered, holding tighter as if he could somehow borrow Taekwoon’s strength.

“My heart,” Taekwoon whispered, hugging his other half tighter. There really wasn’t much he could do for him. He knew that, and it hurt.

_Distract._ The helpful hint was exactly what he was going to do anyway, but he appreciated the advice from his dragon.

_I know,_ he smiled and turned his focus to Jinki once more. “Well, I can at least give you some good news,” he promised, gratified when he felt a slight lessening of tension in his other half’s arms. “We were able to create a rune today,” he explained softly, his voice full of wonder and pride.

“Really?” Jinki asked quietly, the sound muffled as he stayed pressed against Taekwoon’s body.

“Yes. It was harder than I thought it might be, but… once we figured out what was probably possible, Gain in particular was able to guide the process,” he explained, recalling what they’d accomplished earlier that day.

It was clear Jinki was curious. He pushed back so he could sit up and it was hard for Taekwoon to let him go. But once upright, Jinki smiled and nodded. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. It’s strange. The dragons can read runes, but they weren’t able to write them at first,” he admitted, brow furrowed.

“That is strange. Why do you think that is?” Jinki wondered, chewing on his bottom lip thoughtfully.

“Jong wasn’t as interested but when Gain explained it felt like they should be able to remember how to write runes, he did agree. As she said, it’s almost like something is… blocking them. Keeping them from accessing that part of their… heritage I guess?” he offered uncertainly. She’d explained it as such but he didn’t really understand all of it.

“So… if they don’t know how to write runes, how did they come up with one?” Jinki asked, genuinely curious now, his hand holding fast to Taekwoon’s.

The rider laughed once and nodded. “They took pieces of other runes and put them together to form one that should roughly mean nullify,” he explained with a wondrous shake of his head. “She made me write down all the runes I could remember. I couldn’t do it alone. Jonghyun had a much better memory for it. But after that, they started taking them apart and then taking bits and pieces and putting them together. It was interesting watching them try to fit different parts and sections together,” he explained, the memory playing vividly in his head. “But it was tiring. I think… I mean, I don’t know, but it felt like Jong was using me. Not in any bad way. Just… my strength I guess. Or really my thoughts,” he added by way of clarification. “I feel like I spent the whole day practicing but I haven’t fought anyone.”

“Well that’s different,” Jinki admitted, searching Taekwoon’s face as if he was looking for something. His free hand came up to trace gently against Taekwoon’s skin, following invisible lines slowly. “Any ideas why?”

“No,” he admitted with a sigh. “It seems to be one more mystery to add to the pile,” he scowled, though the expression softened when he looked at Jinki again.

Jinki sighed and nibbled on his bottom lip again, not looking at Taekwoon this time. “So many things we don’t know.” There was a silent pause between them before Jinki looked up, catching Taekwoon’s gaze. “Woonie… did you know about Chaerin?”

Taekwoon’s stomach knotted at the same time that it dropped and he grimaced. He’d been expecting it, but that didn’t make the topic any easier to consider. “No,” he answered quickly. “I mean… not really,” he admitted, brows knit together in his thoughts. “I think a part of me… wondered?” he offered with a shake of his head, recalling that moment in the other Aerie especially. "But nothing ever happened,” he promised intently, turning his gaze on Jinki without looking away now. But Jinki was looking down, though their hands were still linked. Cautiously, Taekwoon offered, “Are you mad at me?”

“No,” Jinki laughed once, the sound bitter and sad. He didn’t look up but he did continue. “I’m not mad at you. _Wasn’t_ mad at you. I was just… mad in general I think. Or maybe sad. I don’t know,” he admitted with a gusty sigh. “I _know_ you didn’t do anything,” he explained with a frustrated tone. “But it didn’t stop me from feeling like maybe you did.”

His self-reproach was obvious and Taekwoon couldn’t help but pull him back against his chest, hugging tight. “I would never betray you if I could help it,” he promised determinedly, arms firm around his other half.

Jinki’s laugh was sad and understanding. “I know that, love. It’s just… you heard her. The High Priest might well be able to control dragons _and_ people,” he admitted dejectedly. Before he could fall into further despondency, he pushed himself away from Taekwoon and looked at the other man intently. “But it did make me think,” he started, licking his lips in his flurry of thought. “You said there’s an infertility spell here. More or less. So how would his plan be able to come true? I mean, whatever might happen, or not,” he added quickly in his rambling explanation, “nothing should happen after. Unless there’s something we don’t know or understand about her or you or what’s going on with your bond. I don’t know,” he admitted, obviously flustered and too full of thoughts he couldn’t make sense of.

“My heart,” Taekwoon soothed, clasping Jinki’s face in his hands and making him steady his gaze. “They are good questions. But I don’t have the answers right now.” Nor did he really want all the answers for this particular topic. “For the moment, I think we should probably just sleep and see if we can’t find more tomorrow. Master Mimi’s going to ask Ryeowook to help with Satoru and see if the new rune might take effect on the morrow.”

“Oh?” Jinki asked, blinking quickly as he was snapped out of his train of thought. “Does he think Satoru might wake up?”

“We don’t know yet,” Taekwoon admitted cautiously. “But if we can get him to come around. Maybe with a direct healing rune, we need to be able to keep Kevin from listening in if possible. So Ryeowook would have the best chance of making that happen. Probably. He does know more about runes after all,” he added with a breathy laugh.

Jinki smiled and nodded, forcing himself to take a breath before he tried to respond. “You’re right. What was it someone said…? Don’t focus on everything that could happen. Think about what’s going on right now first and then plan accordingly,” he murmured as if reassuring himself.

“Exactly,” Taekwoon smiled, leaning close enough to kiss Jinki’s forehead.

His other half ducked his head in mild embarrassment and then leaned forward to wrap his arms around Taekwoon’s torso in a tight hug, head resting comfortably on his chest. “One step at a time,” he whispered, relaxing further against Taekwoon’s body.

“One step at a time,” Taekwoon echoed, running a soothing hand down Jinki’s back. Considering they didn’t know what the future looked like, that was about all they could look forward to.

Though the future was uncertain, it was also quite busy. As soon as possible, Ryeowook was consulted to try and apply a nullification rune to Satoru’s body. Per his instructions, the rune itself was harmless, but with the proper power source, it could be made to be effective. In other words, they needed blood. From a powerful figure. After a brief discussion, Ryeowook concluded it should be a dragon’s blood as humans were lesser conduits of Bahamut’s power. Or rather, since it was a dragon’s tongue that was trying to be used for the rune, then it should be a dragon wielding the power.

There was much discussion about that but eventually, Gain stepped into the power void. Her explanation was simple. _You all have riders. Different priorities. Different focuses. And you are all younger than I am. So I am pulling rank and taking this responsibility, whatever may happen._

None could gainsay the gold Paramour so her blood became the catalyst for the nullifying rune. Within a day, it became obvious it was the only perceptible rune as tested by Taekwoon and his dragons. If it meant what they thought it meant, it was a success. A healing rune was applied next, powered by Minwoo’s blood this time. Hero had wanted to, but Dongwan pulled seniority and explained that if there was any sort of connection, Commander Yunho and his dragon needed to remain as free as possible. Neither Yunho nor Hero had been happy, but they understood. Since the healing rune was lying atop the nullification rune, they assumed it would work outside of the nullification effect, but they wouldn’t know for at least a couple days.

As expected, no immediate effect was ascertained, but Satoru did not pass. He simply remained in a state of deep unconsciousness. Though, since the nullification rune had worked, to the best of their knowledge, it was only a matter of time before the healing rune worked in turn. Or so they all hoped.

Through a personal messenger on horseback, Jinki learned that Yongguk would not be able to return to the Aerie as anticipated. The King wasn’t holding him hostage exactly, but neither was he allowing the other man to return at this point in time, citing unexpected difficulties and unseen tensions he needed experienced hands to help with. All that meant was that Jinki had more work than he was ready for and more worries to add to the mountain already piling up. During the day, he closeted himself in the Aerie Master’s office, trying to prepare for what was expected of him and attempting to get ready for what might yet come. When he wasn’t closeted inside, he was wandering the Aerie, checking on everyone and everything and trying to make sure they were all as ready and taken care of as they could be in the meantime. At night, he collapsed in Taekwoon’s embrace and became dead to the world when he slept.

In an effort to not add to Jinki’s already growing concerns, Taekwoon took to looking into the Outer Sanctum of the Aerie Tower. When he wasn’t watching over Chaerin, as instructed, he was scouring every bit of surface area for runes or signs of what might be within the Inner Sanctum. He still remembered vividly going down the steps to the rune circle in the depths, but he wasn’t specifically allowed to go there. Oh, obviously he could approach the Outer Sanctum, but even in these unpredictable times, there was at least one dragon watching over the entrance. Previously, it had been Dongwan that had taken him to the doors of the Inner Sanctum. As much as he was inclined to simply do as he wanted, as he knew he needed to do, he couldn’t bring himself to break the rules in such a way. Especially not when it might mean dealing with a protective dragon. But when nothing on the outside helped alleviate his curiosity, he admitted that he had to at least speak with Master Dongwan.

“I’m surprised it took you this long to come ask,” the Dragon Master chuckled when Taekwoon finally asked for help or permission to enter the Inner Sanctum.

“I thought there might have been something I could find without entering the Inner Sanctum,” he admitted with a resigned shrug, shaking his head.

Dongwan gave him a bemused look and laughed once. “Of course. But such a place is carefully guarded for a reason,” he reminded the younger rider. “And while I can’t say my personal permission would be condoned exactly, mayhap the next time you seek entry, the way will be easier…”

“Does that mean…” Taekwoon trailed off, a burgeoning excitement blossoming in his breast. Dongwan gave him a raised brow look and he nodded once, the excitement fading slightly as curiosity set in instead. “But… why? Not that I’m not grateful mind you,” he added quickly, biting on his lip.

The Dragon Master seemed amused by his response, but he nodded and took a breath as he looked away. “Rules are good for helping to create order. Many times they are helpful and backed by reason. I’ve no desire to break any such things currently, but… as our present situation would dictate, no stone should be left unturned.” He paused and regarded Taekwoon carefully, dark eyes clouded with thought. “You seem to have a unique ability. Reading runes.” He snorted then, looking away with a twisted mouth. “Who would have thought we’d had magic filling the Aerie so completely…” The words were soft, almost as if spoken to himself. “It’s only right that the truth come out sometime.”

“Thank you, sir,” Taekwoon murmured softly, bowing low in his gratitude. He wasn’t sure how to feel. He hadn’t been given permission but he had been given an in, perhaps, but it was obvious Dongwan wasn’t particularly happy about what the reality of the Aerie actually was.

The next time he approached the Outer Sanctum, the dragon on duty, one of the older rider’s dragons if he noticed correctly, pretended he wasn’t there and simply let him pass. Taekwoon didn’t press his luck by trying to speak with the dragon and simply continued inside, taking note of the Bahamut statue in the interior room and the paintings commemorating the Dragon God himself. He wondered just how many were true. But they did not hold his attention long. The doors of the Inner Sanctum called and he moved to them swiftly, stepping into the innermost room cautiously.

Magic made his skin tingle as lights flickered to life inside, eternal torches illuminating the way. Stairs yawned before him and Taekwoon took a breath. He didn’t have a light of his own this time, but he knew the way and what awaited him. Plus… he had dragon sight this time. It wasn’t good enough to let him see in total darkness, but it was better than his eyes.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Taekwoon blinked around in the oppressing gloom. There was nothing to let him know anything was different or that anything would happen. Only the ever present itch of magic that made his skin crawl. But he had to at least try, so he stepped forward and inhaled once as the circle of silver fire appeared before him. This time, he was in no hurry to step within. This time, he needed to understand the circle and what it was. This time, he stayed outside and waited, observing and thinking about what it might mean…

When he wasn’t skulking around the Aerie, searching for clues or runes, Taekwoon did his best to watch over Chaerin, as instructed. For her part, she seemed quite intent upon doing everything she was expected as a dragonrider. Her and her siblings worked hard to hone their fighting and riding skills, when the weather allowed. As much as possible, she avoided being in single company with Taekwoon and otherwise focused on working with Ryeowook to better understand runes, or she spent time with the Paramour Heechul, or she asked Combat Master Seunghyun for extra lessons. Anything to keep her busy.

The dragons of Insoo’s wing watched over the other newcomers as anticipated as well, working with them when necessary and interacting as before. Despite some initial concerns, none acted out of the ordinary, but all caution was maintained accordingly. That was especially true when the nullification rune was also applied to Ken and JR, the errant dragons that had been given to the Aerie by Kevin. Wonshik hadn’t forgiven himself for not noticing the runes previously and Aron had been more than a little depressed at his unfortunate situation. At least once they were given leave to work with their dragons again, some spark of life returned to their eyes. Nothing could be done for Jiyeon in the interim, though she had been spending time with Andy more. Both had lost their partners recently, after all. Even if her bond had not been as strong and as established, she understood better than most what the gold dragon was going through.

Combat Master Seunghyun began instructing even the civilians to take emergency self-defense courses in the covered walls of his salle. They didn’t understand the necessity exactly but no one wanted to question the Combat Master. His wrath was legendary and, if nothing else, it was better than simply sitting around, feeling the weight of what they didn’t know pressing down on them. When the Aerie residents weren’t training, the Masters and riders were, in some form or another. And if they weren’t with Seunghyun, then someone was with Master Leatherworker Minsoo or Master Blacksmith Baekho, repairing weapons and armor, and making weapons and armor. It was their task to be sure everyone had some kind of attack and defense gear, just in case. As such, special scavenging and hunting patrols had to be sent out just to make sure the Aerie had enough food for all the extra work and time they were putting in.

Masters Kibum and Sandara continued their work on the mural in the Aerie Master’s foyer, revealing more of the picture day by day. Though progress was slow, they were finished before the cold moons ended. Once done, some of Jinki and Taekwoon’s worst thoughts were realized. The mural showed a very different history from the one that they’d been taught in the Aerie. Far from being the benevolent god that had ascended to the heavens after saving man from his mad mate, Bahamut had instead been bound by man on this realm after his fight with Tiamat had resulted in a draw. From there, his power had been contained by powerful magics crafted by the hands of many Dragon Priests. That his body was painted directly below the image of the Aerie could have been symbolic or literal, and Taekwoon was quite worried it was the later. What was worse, the binding appeared to have been done at great cost if the faint indication of red and silver on the hands of the priests was any indication.

And instead of being Bahamut’s chosen representative on the earth, the Bahamut High Priest was a self-ordained fixture. The most powerful priest within the order of Bahamut who took control and raised himself into the figure they knew today. The same could be said for Tiamat’s fall and the subsequent rise of her followers, if the mural was any indication given by the presence of a mirror image for the Priests of Tiamat. Though the last panel itself was clear, it was obvious that a man should have been in it. After the fall and binding of Bahamut and after the rise of the Priesthood, it would only make sense that a single figure would establish themselves as dominant in place of the lost Gods. And no, it would not be the King…

Though very historically important, the information uncovered was kept from the general Aerie populous, adding only to the burden of those in power. There was something to be said for the bliss of ignorance. They would be equally powerless either way. The confirmed truth weighed especially heavy on Taekwoon and Chaerin, neither of whom could guess when exactly Kevin might have started his rise to power.

And while the truth was a heavy burden to bear, Jinki felt the coming warmer months like a glacier he could not even fathom stopping. A worming worry snaked through everyone in the Aerie, sapping their strength and adding fears of the unknown to what was already there. No one said much about it, but they could feel it. The rising tension, like the coming high tide, pushing against them day by day. No one knew what exactly, but something was going to happen soon…

Bahamut be praised… the thing that happened first, after more days than any cared to count, was Satoru finally waking up.


	40. Unconsidered Possibilities

Taekwoon glared at the glowing circle in front of him. It remained a mystery, for the most part. That it was magic was undeniable. That it was also a summoning circle of some kind was also quite likely. The circle itself was comprised of dozens of runes writ into the stone, repeating over and over again. Binding again – of course, but also summons. Warding… presumably to keep outside influence at bay once the circle was entered, and guidance. Perhaps that was why the figure he’d seen last time had been as helpful, albeit challenging, as he had. Fire, obviously, and power as well as something that looked like beginnings. Taekwoon wasn’t sure what the power or beginnings was about but the rest he understood. It was notable that binding was the first and last rune in the sequence, doubling up on each turn.

“What am I missing?” he asked, puzzled. The circle always came to life when he approached it. That much had not changed. But… Taekwoon took a breath and stepped into the circle once more, feeling the circular walls slide over his skin like an itchy blanket. Standing in the center, he waited for something, anything to happen.

Nothing.

His skin tingled and he felt like he was being watched by something but there was no sensation of falling. No silver eyed, silver haired man. Absolutely nothing. Attempting to summon whoever it had been had met with nothing but failure as well. Silence was all that returned to him. “I know there has to be something,” he scowled, pacing around the interior as if his caged energy might somehow trigger a reaction.

_Mate calls._ He stopped abruptly upon hearing from Jonghyun, the mental voice jarring after the extended period of nothingness.

Blinking quickly, Taekwoon shook his head and responded, _Reason?_

 _Satoru wakes,_ Jonghyun explained quickly, the tone curious.

Taekwoon knew what he wanted to know and he shook his head. _No progress here, but tell Jinki I’m coming._

 _Okay,_ his dragon agreed easily, pulling from the mental conversation like a passing breeze.

“Shards,” Taekwoon scowled once more, glaring at the silver flames before stepping out and hurrying up the stairs. At his back, the light receded quickly, casting him into darkness again. Perhaps Satoru would be able to explain more. That is, if he was in any condition to talk.

Quiet, subdued voices fell silent as Taekwoon carefully entered the Healing Hall. Four sets of eyes turned to stare at him as one, pinning him in place with their intensity until they recognized who had arrived. Jinki’s features softened first and he managed a weak smile at his other half, though he did not move to join him. Instead, he remained at Satoru’s side, one hand clasped between both of his. Master Mimi nodded once in acknowledgement and shifted his attention back to his patient, focused once more. Only Commander Yunho continued to regard Taekwoon with a blank expression, his thoughts unreadable.

_Wary…_ Jonghyun grumbled irritably as he followed along mentally.

_I don’t think he fully trusts me,_ Taekwoon admitted with a small bow in Yunho’s direction. He didn’t wait for permission before he started to edge towards the bed, though he felt the Commander’s eyes on him all the same.

_Hero same,_ his dragon scoffed, the implied eye roll quite obvious.

_What about your mate?_ Taekwoon wondered as he reached Satoru’s side. He allowed a small smile to grace his face as he saw the older man was weak and washed out but very much alive, if the fire in his eyes was any indication. “Master Satoru,” he bowed deeper this time, waiting for a response before he stood up again.

_Liked by most,_ his dragon responded before the Aerie Master did. _As should be._

“I take it your dragon informed you of my waking,” he murmured with the hint of a chuckle in his voice.

“Yes sir,” Taekwoon nodded, standing upright. _Good,_ he sent back to his dragon before letting him know he was turning his attention elsewhere for now.

“I hear you are also somewhat responsible for this,” he went on, extending his left arm to show the new rune drawn darkly over the other runes.

“It was mostly Gain and Jonghyun, sir,” he explained with a shake of his head.

Satoru regarded him for a moment, eyes sharp and perceptive. “Still. I thank you. Truly,” he added with an intense sincerity that made Taekwoon’s gut twist in sympathy.

Master Mimi cleared his throat and lowered his fist from his mouth to speak. “Niceties can be exchanged later. Important information now. Then rest. Then if you’re well enough, you can talk at length later,” he instructed firmly, his voice soft but the tone inflexible. Taekwoon ducked his head and flushed, both at the praise and indirect chastisement.

“Of course,” Commander Yunho spoke easily, moving closer to the bed now. “You were explaining High Priest Kevin’s involvement in the Aerie.”

Satoru’s face collapsed with distaste and pain. But then he took a breath and nodded once, mouth thin. “Yes. I was.” His jaw worked mutely for a moment before he could continue, dark thoughts flickering across his face without explanation. “He is secretive, so much of what he has done and what he has planned is beyond my knowledge. But he craves power. Relishes- relished,” he corrected himself quickly, the relief obvious and palpable, “the power he had over me and…” This time he did stop, the name dying on his tongue.

“It’s alright,” Jinki soothed at his side, squeezing the limp hand gently between his.

“I am glad he fought until the end,” Satoru whispered with a pained smile, his free hand drifting to brush against the wrappings on his lightly covered chest. Without adding further to the thought, he shook his head minutely and blinked, though the statement confirmed what Taekwoon had hoped. Commander Eric had not gone down without a fight. “That being said, our reprieve is likely only temporary.”

“We have suspected that something might happen after the cold moons,” Commander Yunho admitted with a dark frown.

“And you are likely correct.” Satoru’s response was ominous in its simplicity. “He has been working towards something for a long time now. I don’t know what or why, but I have seen him change over the years. Little by little,” he murmured, chewing on his bottom lip. “Each time he comes, he takes more of Bahamut’s Blood,” he explained tightly, face pinched.

“The binding tonic?” Jinki asked for clarification, eyes darting to Taekwoon expectantly.

“Yes and no,” Satoru answered cryptically, the response setting Taekwoon’s nerves on edge. “Bahamut is here.”

It was so plainly spoken that, for a moment, it simply didn’t make sense. Mimi spoke first, his furrowed brows and quick blinks showcasing his confusion. “Of course Bahamut is here. He is always with us,” the Healer went on, echoing the sentiments of the Priests.

Satoru’s quiet mirthless snort only served to conjure a harder knot in Taekwoon’s gut. “No. He _is_ here.”

At the emphasis, Taekwoon and Jinki looked at each other. “The mural!” “The journal!” they spoke at the same time, earning the Aerie Master’s thoughtful glance.

“I see you’ve been busy,” he commented, focusing on Commander Yunho as he tried to judge the other man’s reaction. Healer Mimi was wary but listening.

“They had mentioned something about the stories of Bahamut’s ascension perhaps being not so true,” he conceded with a begrudging nod.

“Why don’t we know about this?” Jinki asked softly, pulling the Aerie Master’s attention back to him.

“Now…” Satoru sighed, licking his lips slowly. “It is because High Priest Kevin has decided that no one should know. But… this started after the Dragon Wars. When the Priesthood came into power. I don’t know all the-”

“Wait,” Yunho murmured, holding up his hand to stall the Aerie Master. “You’re saying that the Dragon God Bahamut is here. In the aerie. His physical body is _here_ ,” he clarified, tone a mixture of disbelief and anger.

“Yes,” Satoru answered simply. “The knowledge has been bound to us.” He winced once but continued quickly. “Until now, we have had no power to speak of it. Bahamut’s Blood _is_ the dragon’s blood. Bahamut’s Aerie was built _on top_ of Bahamut’s bound body.”

“What you speak is madness,” Yunho scowled with a shake of his head.

“But no less true,” Satoru countered, looking at the younger Commander with steady eyes. “Had Commander Eric lived longer, you would have been inducted into this knowledge eventually.” His strong façade suddenly broke as he raised his hand to cough, attempting to stifle it with poor luck.

“Satoru,” Master Mimi warned as he stood up and moved closer, giving the other man a quick once over.

“Not yet,” the Aerie Master waved off his concern quickly. “I will rest, but I must finish,” he explained, meeting the Healer’s eye intently. “I fear there is little time,” he added regretfully, voice soft and sad. “And I do not know if this will hold,” he added with a tense look at the runes on his arm.

The Healer sighed and his shoulders slumped slightly. “Alright. But only a few moments more,” he cautioned, one finger pointed at the bed-bound man.

Satoru nodded and then glanced at Jinki and Taekwoon first but then refocused his attention on Commander Yunho. It was obvious the new information had unsettled his world considerably. “I said earlier that something was going to happen. I believe that to be true and we will need you to be ready for it,” he stated simply. “Commander Eric felt it as well and was trying to prepare you as best he could,” Satoru sighed, the rush of air escaping like an old man’s wheeze. “Though Kevin may be the Bahamut High Priest, I do not think he is our ally. Should the worst come to pass, I do not believe he will help us.”

“Madness,” Yunho repeated again, the word his last bit of dying defiance. Anger suffused his features then and he clenched his fist as he glared at the Aerie Master. “Whatever might be coming matters not. This is still our home and I will make sure it is protected,” he growled. “Whoever the enemy is!” Frustration was evident on his face as he finished his burst and stalked from the room, leaving an uneasy silence in his wake.

“Such information is not easy to accept at first,” Satoru mused as he looked at the closed door. Taekwoon followed his gaze and then looked back at Jinki, realizing the other man had been watching him. “I do have to wonder why you were so capable of uncovering what you…” Satoru suddenly trailed off, letting his gaze slide from Jinki to Taekwoon. His eyes narrowed thoughtfully and he hummed once. “So… that is probably why he has been so interested in you,” he whispered as if to himself.

_Bond,_ his dragon spoke as he said, “My bond.”

“Mm,” Satoru nodded once, but did not elaborate more. He glanced at Mimi and nodded in understanding before he reached up and pulled Jinki close enough to whisper in his ear.

Curiosity itched like mad and Taekwoon wanted to move closer to hear. He was made more curious at Jinki’s wide-eyed blink and nod. “I understand,” Jinki murmured, swallowing hard.

As if speaking with Jinki had drained the last of his energy, Satoru sagged against the piled pillows and seemed to sink into them. “From here, we must be ready for anything. I have no way to confirm, but since Bahamut is here, it is likely Tiamat’s Aerie also has Tiamat. I do not know what it might mean for any of us, but…” His voice tapered off and he simply shook his head, letting go of whatever he was going to say.

Jinki looked to Taekwoon, but he had no answers to offer. His other half’s face crumpled slightly and then he focused on Satoru once more. “Whatever will come, we will be ready. Somehow,” he promised, desperate to offer some sort of assurance.

Satoru’s smile was sad when he looked at his younger protégé. “There are some things we can never really prepare for,” he exhaled, eyes falling to his arm again, the ghost of bitter resentment flickering across his features. “Go on now,” he urged with a forced laugh no one felt. When Jinki didn’t move at first, he pulled his hand free and nudged the young man away with a nod towards the door. “You’ve much to think about and I’ve a Healer to placate,” he snorted once, the hint of amusement just evident.

“Indeed,” Healer Mimi hummed in the back of his throat as he moved close enough to give Jinki another nudge so he could take his place.

“But what if something hap-”

“You’ll be one of the first to know,” Healer Mimi assured him with a quick interruption.

“Come on,” Taekwoon urged, offering his hand for Jinki to take so they could head out the door. He would not deny he was eager to leave the room, but it was largely so he might learn more about what Satoru had told his other half.

For a moment, Jinki hesitated, torn between loyalty to his mentor and the need to actually leave. It passed quickly enough and he nodded to himself before he took Taekwoon’s hand and allowed himself to be led outside. “Okay.”

Impatience gnawed at Taekwoon as they crossed the Aerie yard, the area brightly lit by the midafternoon sun. People moved about as if it was any other day, though there was an air of tiredness hovering over them. The extra training and lessons and subconscious tension was starting to weigh on all of them. Taekwoon felt it but he had other thoughts to distract himself with. At least he had the forethought to wait to try and say anything until they were in their shared room. Despite the early mark of the day, it had become standard practice for them to seek the privacy of their room when they needed to speak about something. Now was one of those times.

But when he turned around to face Jinki in the security of their room, his other half looked conflicted. “What’s wrong?” he asked automatically, though he had a sinking feeling he knew what the issue was.

Jinki sighed and his shoulders slumped further. “I know what you’re going to ask and… I can’t tell you right now,” he finally offered, sliding past the other man to take a seat on their bed, clasping his hands in his lap.

“What?” he asked in stunned confusion, blinking at the admittance. “Why?” True curiosity colored his tone and he moved to stand in front of Jinki, full of snarled energy.

“Because it’s not a simple answer,” he admitted with a slight frown, hands clenched tightly together.

Taekwoon didn’t know how to feel for a breath. He started pacing in a tight circle in front of his other half. “But if we know where Bahamut is and how to get to him, we can finally get answers to the questions we don’t know. We can see if we can free him and get his help. We can finally be one step ahead of the High Priest!” he growled, stopping as he glared at a spot on the floor in front of him.

“Woonie.” Instant irritation ran up his spine at the tone, but he turned to look at his other half. “Would you look at yourself?” he asked helplessly, gesturing towards the still standing man with a tense motion.

“I’m fine,” Taekwoon snapped, though he at least forced himself to stand upright and roll his shoulders to ease some of the tension.

Jinki’s facial expression spoke volumes. “Would you please come sit down?” he asked evenly, patting the bed beside him.

“Don’t want to,” Taekwoon grumbled childishly, resuming his pacing, though it was not as frantic as before. “I want answers,” he admitted quickly. “And I know that you know where to find them, but _you_ won’t tell me.”

“Woonie,” Jinki called again, extending his hand this time so that Taekwoon might take it.

“It’s in the Inner Sanctum, isn’t it? The entrance,” he spoke, ignoring the outstretched hand as his mind raced.

“No, it’s not,” his other half stated simply with a sigh. “Why can’t you see I’m trying to protect you here?” he exhaled in frustration, pulling his hand back as he followed the rider with his eyes.

“I don’t need your protection!” he snapped back, his skin feeling itchy and hot.

_Rider…_

“Yes you do!” Jinki finally snapped back as he stood up, glaring at his other half. Taekwoon was surprised enough to stop and look at the other man. Jinki so rarely raised his voice at him. “Look at you!” he added with a frantic gesture, moving his hand up and down to take in the breadth of his body. “You’re all dragon right now,” he explained with a furrowed brow. “All aggression and direction but no thought,” he stated, almost spitting the last word out.

“I’m frustrated!” Taekwoon responded defensively. “I don’t know what’s going to happen! I don’t know how to figure out the circle in the Sanctum! Captain Yunho doesn’t seem to trust me! I’m failing and I don’t know what to do!” he admitted, some of the tension leaving with his breathy exhale. His shoulders slumped as if in defeat and he growled quietly to himself as he turned away.

He flinched slightly when arms slid around his waist from behind as Jinki hugged him, pressing hard against his back. “You might be frustrated, Woonie, but I’m scared. Terrified,” he admitted quietly, his breath tickling Taekwoon’s neck where his chin rested on the other man’s shoulder.

Protective instincts flared and he laid his hands atop Jinki’s. The anger and frustration were still there, but they had taken a backseat to his other half’s plight. “I’ll keep you safe no matter what, my heart,” he promised, turning his head so that Jinki might hear him better.

“From Bahamut even?” he asked in a whisper, dark eyes meeting Taekwoon’s.

“What do you mean?” Taekwoon asked, the aggression falling even more as confusion took its place.

“Love,” Jinki murmured, tightening his arms around the other man’s waist. “By all accounts, Bahamut is akin to a god. He is a highly intelligent dragon and a very powerful one. One that has been forcibly bound by humans for hundreds of years. Would you want to help us under those circumstances?” he asked simply, looking at Taekwoon carefully.

It felt very much like Taekwoon had been dropped into cold water. All the tension fled from his body and he felt a strange echoing sensation in his bond with Jonghyun. That was not something that had occurred to him. Exhaling slowly, he turned in Jinki’s arms to fold him into his embrace, holding tight. “Okay,” he swallowed and nodded.

“I just think we need to approach this very carefully,” Jinki admitted quietly, his mouth pressed against Taekwoon’s shoulder.

“I understand,” he murmured in response.

_But Bahamut bound is still not good,_ Jonghyun added, mirroring one of the thoughts Taekwoon had as well.

_“I agree, but if he does feel that way, our options are limited,”_ he explained aloud so Jinki could hear too. _“Bound, he is angry but relatively powerless. Free, he is angry and… has power we can’t know yet. And killing him…”_

“Is not an option!” Jinki quickly snapped, body tensing at the mere idea.

“I know, my heart. Just thinking out loud,” Taekwoon promised, though a tiny part of him wouldn’t dismiss the idea entirely.

“Maybe we’re all wrong and he won’t be angry and if we can break the binding, he’ll be happy to be free, but… until we know more… we just have to be careful,” he explained, pulling away enough to get a better look at Taekwoon’s face.

Taekwoon smiled and nodded once, bringing a hand up to caress Jinki’s cheek with the back of his fingers. “We don’t have much time before the cold moons are over, but we have some for now,” he explained as calmly as he could. His stomach was still in knots and he had no fewer questions, but at least in this moment, he was… content.

“Exactly,” Jinki encouraged, smiling too.

“Sorry for getting mad at you,” Taekwoon mumbled as he looked away guiltily and then back at the other man’s face.

“Foolish man,” his other half sighed with a dryly amused snort. But he hugged him close all the same, arms clinging with an unspoken desperation neither wanted to voice.

Taekwoon reveled in the sensation and nodded in quiet agreement. Yes he was… “I won’t ask you right now. We need to speak with Satoru more before we try to do anything… foolish,” he added with a forced laugh. “But we will have to do something soon.”

“I know. Just not right now,” Jinki whispered.

And of course they had time before the cold moons were over. High Priest Kevin might have had great power, but he didn’t control the weather. Granted, no one knew what to think about the noticeable earth shake they all felt two days later. Nor could Taekwoon entirely dismiss the strange, ominous sensation that accompanied it, the feeling echoed by his dragon and mate.


	41. Awakening

As if by some unspoken call, all the dragons of the Aerie eventually gathered in the dragon grounds, milling about uncertainly. Their riders followed as if answering another silent summons, equally uncertain. The acting Aerie Master was unable to accompany them as he had to take care of non-rider issues. The civilians were disturbed too, and he had to give some kind of response to the earth shake. They were not unheard of, but everyone could tell this one seemed different, especially given the reaction of the dragons and their riders.

Taekwoon looked around and felt both thrilled and saddened by their Battalion collection. It was rare to see so many in one place in open sight, but they were fewer than they should have been. And now… this unexpected and wholly unwanted happening…

_Feel strange,_ Jonghyun admitted as he paced slowly, his footsteps shortened to let Jongup keep pace at his side.

_How so?_ he asked in response, feeling something too but he didn’t know how to explain it. For him, it was like there was this buzzing sound at the back of his head. There but not. It felt like he should be able to understand it, though it was not but barely perceptible noise.

_Itchy,_ he finally answered as if he’d been mulling over what to say. _Pulling,_ he added, shaking his head and rustling his wings in response. Nor was he the only one. Several other dragons were acting similarly. _Head hurt,_ he snapped then, snorting his displeasure.

_And mate?_ Taekwoon wondered, following Jongup with his eyes.

_Feels same. Others too,_ he conceded as his copper head swung around to observe those gathered.

“How do your dragons feel?” Wing Leader Insoo asked as he approached, casting sidelong glances at Gunwoo as he did so.

“Strange,” he replied quickly, brow furrowed and lips thinned.

“Ours as well. We can’t figure out what’s wrong though,” he sighed, scratching the back of his head in genuine confusion.

“I feel a little strange too,” he hesitantly admitted, awkward about mentioning the connection.

“Oh? Can you explain?” his Wing Leader prompted without judgment.

That was a relief. So he mentioned what he’d thought previously and shrugged. “Let me…” he trailed off, trying to relax enough to bring his dragon half forward. It felt harder than usual. Like it didn’t _want_ to come out. But when it settled into place, he blinked and felt his gut twist. “Oh,” he exhaled, wincing at the sensation.

“What?” Insoo asked, realizing what he’d done as soon as he saw the other man’s eyes.

“My head hurts and my skin itches, but there’s a sound like a whisper,” he explained, brushing at his ear as if he could focus the noise somehow.

“Can you understand it?” Insoo asked, glancing around to see if anyone else was feeling similarly.

Taekwoon tried. He really did, but whatever the whisper was saying was beyond him. He didn’t know if it was because it was a different language or just because it was too low. Eventually, he shook his head. “No.” Quickly, he shoved the dragon away, with some difficulty, and breathed a sigh of relief when he was back to himself. “That was not pleasant,” he admitted, grimacing in sympathy for the dragons.

They were both thinking hard about what the cause could be when they heard Chaerin’s voice. “Insoo! Taekwoon!” Both turned to look at the rider in tandem, seeing her gesturing for them to come join her. “The dragons have an idea,” she called, gesturing back towards a growing collection of closely gathered dragons.

Peering at the mass, Taekwoon was pretty sure he saw Gain in the mix, as well as Hero, and that was probably Jiyong. He was also certain one of the golds was Fei. The smaller colors were gathering too, but it was clear the golds and silvers were leading. Taekwoon looked at Insoo and shrugged before glancing back at his dragons. Both Jonghyun and Jongup were already moving their direction, as was Gunwoo. “Let’s go,” he urged with an accepting sigh.

“Indeed,” Insoo nodded as he drifted over to place his hand against the bronze’s hide. The rest of the wing’s dragons fell into step behind him almost automatically.

Looking around, Taekwoon noticed that Chaerin’s group of riders were answering to Gunwoo’s lead. _Hard to think alone,_ Jonghyun admitted as he paced beside his rider. Jongup took the other side of Taekwoon as they flanked him easily.

As they got closer, it felt like they were talking. Taekwoon didn’t know if it was because there were so many here or if it was for some other reason, but the air felt full of voices. He couldn’t hear them because they were dragon to dragon, but he felt it… “Strange,” he hummed, letting his eyes land on Chaerin. He blinked in surprise when he realized she was watching him closely.

“You feel it too, don’t you?” she asked, biting her lip uncertainly.

He thought about being contrary but after two days of coming to the realization and understanding that he knew very little about the truth of their predicament, he knew it wasn’t worth it. “Yes.”

She fell back a bit to be close enough to speak easier. “The Aerie riders don’t seem to, but… we do,” she admitted, giving a nod towards her group nearby. “I don’t know what it means,” she whispered with a downcast look, her posture speaking of uncertainty and fear.

Taekwoon couldn’t blame her. The not knowing was a powerful thing… “Let’s see what the dragons have to say first. Then we can decide if we need to be afraid or not,” he explained, fighting the nagging sensation himself.

“Fair enough,” she agreed with a forced nod, swallowing hard.

As they joined the layered circle of dragons and riders collected around their primary golds and silvers, Taekwoon got a hint of what they were about.

Group Trance.

Really? They’d only learned about it in class. He could remember Master Minjun talking about it excitedly. There hadn’t been a group Trance in decades. He certainly hadn’t seen one. Nor had the Master. Historically, they were most often used to cast judgement on a dragon that had dangerously transgressed – namely rogues. That hadn’t happened in recent memory, since rogues were relatively rare, but also because in recent times, they had been killed prior to having the chance for a Group Trance judgement session. On the other hand… as in this situation, it could be used to commune with a group at large – dragons _and_ riders.

_How does this work?_ he asked his dragon as they finally stopped moving and settled into place, surrounded by other dragons and riders. Chaerin had left his side to move closer to Fei near the center and that left him with Insoo nearby and he could see Jungkook and Jinyoung close at hand as well.

_First time for me too,_ Jonghyun admitted with his head tilted as if he was listening to someone else. He probably was. _Trance with me first,_ he explained, relaying instructions. _Then Trance with group. I will take you,_ he promised, the idea obviously strange but he didn’t seem to have any doubts about it at all.

_If you say so,_ he exhaled, reaching one hand to Jongup and one to Jonghyun equally. Feeling their skin under his fingers helped to center him. As he prepared to surrender himself to his dragon’s world, he could only hope that Jinki was doing alright on his end.

Despite Jinki being the acting Aerie Master, he was more than grateful to see Satoru joining them in the Dining Hall. He was being assisted by Healer Mimi and Dragon Healer Hyesung, but he was present. It gave him strength he knew he needed, especially since Taekwoon had wandered off with the other dragons and riders.

It was the strangest thing. They’d been talking about how to handle the Bahamut situation and then they’d felt it. The earth shake. And not long after, Taekwoon had gotten this odd look in his eyes and simply started to drift away, if not physically then certainly mentally. It hadn’t taken long after that before Jinki knew he was going to be needed for whatever was going to happen next.

They’d parted ways and here he was now. The quintessential figurehead for all non-riders present in the dining hall. They were all familiar faces, but under the circumstances, they looked changed. Scared and uncertain. Every face turned to his, looking for answers he knew he didn’t have. He wasn’t sure what the dragons were talking about, but here… there was an awareness that something wasn’t right with no idea why. He felt it through his bond with Jongup but that only made Jinki feel even more unsettled. Especially when there was a strange surge in that connection. One that he’d never experienced and couldn’t explain.

He let the room’s energy die down a bit before he tried to take control. It gave him a moment to puzzle his own dilemma out. Eventually though, he could put it off no longer and he raised his hands, stepping forward. “Please! Let me speak!” he called out, feeling mild panic rise into his chest when the noise did not abate quickly. An uncertain glance at Satoru showed the other man nod at him reassuringly. Okay… Taking a breath, he tried again. “Members of the Aerie!” he called out, voice stronger this time, more resolved.

It worked. Slowly. The general clamor started to die down as the non-riders subsided into a listening mob. Nervous energy was still present, but now it was gated, contained. All the Masters and all the runners and all the general citizens… every eye turned to him and waited.

Jinki swallowed once and lowered his hands as he regarded the room, fighting hard to keep his own fear from his face. “I know you’re scared or unsure of what the earth shake means. I don’t have the answers either,” he admitted with a hesitant shrug, wondering if he was saying the right things. Murmurs started to rise up at his words and he took a quick breath, continuing on before they could overwhelm him. “But I do know!” he called out firmly, taking a small step forward. “Whatever it does mean changes nothing right now!”

“How can we know that?!” a voice called out from the throng. It was hard to tell who it was from as they all looked the same in their collective fright.

“Because our situation has not changed,” he explained simply. “No one was hurt in the earth shake. Nothing happened outright. We only know that something somewhere has shifted. For good or ill, there is nothing we can know for sure about it right now. At least not yet.”

“So how can we find out?” another voice questioned, older and perhaps one of the members who had been here a while.

Jinki nodded in acknowledgement. That at least was something he could give an answer to, though it wouldn’t produce anything definite immediately. “As soon as possible, we’ll send patrols out to see if there have been any changes. Messages will also be dispatched to reach out to the other cities and especially Kokoshir. If they know something or learn something, then we will know soon too,” he promised earnestly, hoping with all his might that was actually the truth. He wasn’t sure where their standing was with all the cities at the moment…

Master Minjun raised his hand, making himself recognizable as he called out his question. “The dragons were acting strange after the earth shake. Do we know what it means yet?”

“Not yet,” Jinki answered quickly, focusing briefly on his bond. Nothing felt wrong exactly… but it did feel strange. “We should know something soon. Like us, they are speaking amongst themselves to see if they can find out more information.”

“How?” someone else called out.

For a moment, Jinki froze. He knew they were. He felt it, only he didn’t know how himself… But then Hyosung stepped in and answered for him. “Group Trance.”

“Really?!” Master Minjun exclaimed, his expression showing he felt as if he was missing something monumental. As if to draw attention to that fact, he immediately extricated himself from the crowd and exited the room. He was shadowed quite quickly by Master Historian Kibum and that also meant that Amber was not far from his side. Jinki also noticed Master Scribe Jolin slinking out as well, all looking quite excited and focused.

“The golds and silvers are leading but Paramour Heechul asked me to come inform you of what is happening. He had to remain with Andy lest the gold try to join too,” she explained with a nod towards the emotionally wounded dragon’s plight.

“Thank you, Paramour Hyosung,” Jinki nodded with a small bow in her direction. She blinked in mild surprise at the display of respect, but then offered a bow in turn, her smile genuine. Her duty finished, she stepped back to let the focus return to Aerie Master Jinki. “Well then. Insofar as the dragons go, it is only a matter of time before they are able to offer some kind of response. As for us, until we get new information, it is best that we continue to act as we have been. Many of you have already started to suspect that we might be preparing for something and you are likely not wrong.” He received a varied array of responses, ranging from genuine surprise to grunts of approval and acknowledgement. His stomach knotted and he felt his mind go blank for a moment before he reached for what he wanted to say next.

“As members of Bahamut’s Aerie, we have always been protectors. As such, it has also made us a target for those who seek to take what we might defend,” he explained simply, glancing at Satoru, but the other man offered no insight as to how he was doing. He simply watched with avid interest, but no indication of displeasure or otherwise. In all honesty, Jinki didn’t know how he was doing and he didn’t know exactly what he should say, but they deserved some degree of the truth. “That may be truer than usual this time. Tiamat’s Aerie has always been our rival. Our foe of sorts. And perhaps that is all this is. An escalation of our continued fight on the horizon. But just in case, we owe it to you. All of you,” he added for emphasis as he looked around the room with a somber expression. “To help give you the best chance possible.”

This time, his gaze drifted to Combat Master Seunghyun and he at least was nodding with some degree of approval. Jinki tipped his head slightly and looked back at the crowd. “It is no secret that our numbers have been depleted. We are not at a strength we should be. What it means for us in the long term, I cannot say,” he admitted with a slow shake of his head. “All I know is that now, it means we must _all_ work together to help each other. The Stardust Battalion will do their duty as best they can. But… they may need our assistance. They may need us to be able to get out of harm’s way. To delay. To hinder. And maybe even to fight.”

He paused for a moment, feeling the weight of their gazes and their expectations on him. It was a sensation that was a hair’s breadth from suffocating. Almost reflexively, he reached for Jongup, for something to hold onto, and he inhaled slightly when the gentle bond they had sang with reassurance. It was more powerful than he’d felt before, but it did what he needed it to do and he couldn’t wonder what it might mean in that moment. “In the worst case scenario, we may all have to fight and maybe die for our home. I do not tell you this lightly or to frighten you. We simply cannot ask you to go blindly into whatever this might be.” Jinki stopped again, his heart beating madly in his chest. Was this how it was to always be the Aerie Master? “As your… Aerie Master,” he started, hesitating on the title since Satoru was still here. “And as your friend,” he added, much more comfortable with the moniker, “I can only _ask_ that you stay. If you feel that you might be safer elsewhere or that you cannot stay, we will not stop you from leaving. But before you go, consider the people… the dragons… the memories here.”

Jinki stopped suddenly, the words he might have said simply lost in that heartbeat. Too much? He flushed and mildly ducked his head before he blurted out a quick, “Thank you!” and then bowed to the crowd. What had he said? Oh, he knew what he’d said but it wasn’t like he’d prepared ahead of time. How was he supposed to know there would be something like this? He never could have predicted he’d give a speech so… soon? A slow clap in the hushed silence made his thoughts falter and he looked up curiously.

It was Satoru, a small but proud smile tugging at his mouth. “Well spoken, Aerie Master,” he complimented, trying to clap harder though Healer Mimi reached a hand to stifle his would be enthusiasm. Fortunately, it didn’t matter. Combat Master Seunghyun had already picked up the clap and then he heard it start in the crowd. A quick glimpse showed Joy and Sanghyuk clapping energetically, the smiles on their faces a bit forced but their enthusiasm genuine. Oh, not everyone was so enthused but the general consensus was one of approval and it made Jinki’s head feel light. His flush turned scarlet and all he wanted to do was run away.

“Th-thank you,” he stammered, suddenly tongue tied. He turned to leave but saw Satoru raise a brow and knew he’d missed something. Facing the crowd again, he swallowed hard and added, “For now, continue to go about your day. You know what may be at stake and if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to see me. I will help you as best I can,” he promised, bowing deeply, a gesture that let him tear his eyes away from the mass of people before him.

When he stood up again, he could see the crowds starting to thin. He imagined they’d probably take a look at the Group Trance or perhaps they’d just go about their day. It was impossible to guess but he was more than ready to escape from everyone’s attention. He was strangely grateful when Seunghyun himself came over to guide him from the dais, leading him over to Satoru in the meantime.

“You surprised me, Jinki,” the Aerie Master smiled with a small nod.

“Quite the speech for one so young,” Master Mimi chuckled, one hand holding to Satoru’s elbow lightly.

“Quite,” Dragon Healer Hyesung agreed with a thoughtful look at Jinki. “Did you get what you needed from Jongup?” he asked curiously, one brow rising expectantly.

Jinki blinked in surprise and stared at the Dragon Healer for a moment. “How did you-”

“Unlike Jonghyun, Jongup is far more talkative. And he was inordinately excited when you agreed to a voluntary bond with him,” he snorted once, shaking his head.

“Oh…” Jinki trailed off, both a little annoyed that Hyesung knew but also strangely pleased by Jongup’s reaction. “I think… maybe I did,” he admitted after a thoughtful pause. “I did reach for him and he answered, but… I’m not sure he gave me anything to say.”

Hyesung glanced at Satoru who seemed thoughtful at his question and then shrugged. “Dragons are interesting creatures. They do not have a collective memory, as far as I can tell, but it is not unheard of for riders in particular to find sudden inspiration in moments where they might not have known what to do or say. Or perhaps it was simply you, Jinki, rising to the occasion,” he laughed once with a dismissive wave of his hand as if to say he didn’t know. “Bahamut only knows,” he added, grimacing slightly at the use of the phrase.

“Either way, well done today,” Satoru murmured again, making sure to meet Jinki’s gaze. “But now, I do think we should see what the Group Trance session has found, if anything.”

“Not you, Master Satoru,” Mimi chided, already holding firm and ready to drag the man away. “This was important so I gave you leave to come but now you need rest again.” Satoru exhaled in frustration and glared at the other man. “It’s not my fault you almost died and that you’re an aging man who recovers slowly,” he stated simply, looking up and down his thin and slightly hunched figure.

Satoru made a face but didn’t argue with the reasoning. “I’m not that old,” he grumbled instead as he waved Jinki off and started to let himself be led away by the Healer.

“So sayeth the man in his middle fifties,” the Healer snorted again, earning another glare but no vocal response.

The brief bit of levity helped the knot in Jinki’s stomach continue to unwind, but it tightened again as he recalled the strange strength of Jongup’s connection. It was more worrying as to what that might mean for Taekwoon as opposed to himself. “I think I’m going to step outside as well,” he stated, bowing to Hyesung and Seunghyun quickly before he turned to leave. He saw Hyosung again before he got out, her arms crossed loosely over her chest and her gaze perceptive. She nodded once and then moved to head further into the hall, focusing on the non-riders remaining within. Those that noticed him gave Jinki a nod or wave but most were concerned with their own situation just then. That was fine by him. It made it easier for him to escape quickly.

Taekwoon had experienced Trance many times over. Sometimes with more than one person. But this experience made it seem all new again. The neutral gray space was filled with dragons and riders in human form, bereft of any coverings. For once, no one seemed to notice or care. They were all focused on something else, be it the tumultuous landscape that roiled, stormy clouds rolling and writhing like living things; or the oppressive energy humming in the space around them, pressing down with all the weight of an impending lightning strike; or the whispering tug of something far off that felt like it grabbed at the center of Taekwoon and pulled – hard. Individually, any one of them would have been bad enough. Together, they were nearly debilitating.

Whatever the dragons had sought to do, in this space, that idea promptly failed as they were faced with a different challenge entirely. Taekwoon tried to focus and manage some kind of effort to do… something, but he was not alone in his failure. Glancing around through narrowed eyes, he saw other riders kneeling as if resting or trying to gather their strength. That was bad enough, but then another sensation started to overtake him – a familiar and unwelcome hot, itching sensation. It made him want to roll his shoulders as if he had wings to shake out. “Jong…” he started to force between gritted teeth before he noticed his dragon beginning to change.

His human form started to come apart, giving way to the copper dragon once more. In his periphery, Taekwoon saw other dragons succumbing to what appeared to be an involuntary shift. Human skin waxed into different colors and dragon bodies rose up, but they were not exactly the forms they’d been before. Staring at Jonghyun, Taekwoon knew it was his dragon but the copper was… more than he’d been previously. A stripe of deep red wound through his larger horns; he’d sprouted some kind of a furry growth around the crown of his head and, when he opened his wings, he seemed to have extra hooks on the end.

A quick look at Jongup showed a similar change with darker markings around his eyes and small horns, but his had become more like antlers instead. His coloring was still blue but there were striations now, creating multihued patterns along the length of his body. All around the Trance space, dragons were changing, their forms slightly altered from what they had been before. And as his eyes settled on Chaerin in particular, he inhaled sharply. It wasn’t that she had changed exactly, but he could see around her… the ghost of an outline like the beginnings a dragon’s form. Looking down at his own hands, he flinched to see a similar ghostly outline as well.

“What in Bahamu-”

His utterance was cut short by the sudden throaty outcry of every dragon at once. Taekwoon ducked his head and clapped his hands over his ears, the terrible sound humming violently through his body. He didn’t know what they were saying, if anything, but it felt like a question or a call of some kind. There was something out there they were reacting to, or so he thought it felt like. He felt it too. Something clawing at his chest, like it was trying to break free and become more.

One by one, the dragon sounds fell silent until only one remained. In the last echoes of the fading cry, he understood the word. The call.

_Mother_.

For a moment, he couldn’t even fathom what it might truly mean. And then he didn’t even have that. Everything suddenly stopped – the tumult, the pressure, the pulling – but it did not set him at ease. He understood why a heartbeat later. Faster than he could react to, the Trance space around them simply… collapsed. It engulfed all of them and Taekwoon felt like he was caught in a terrible wave. A wave that picked him up and hauled him along in a torrent of power and anger and confusion and pain… But what rose above all of them, sharper than anything else, was the loneliness, the sadness.

With a soundless cry, he reached for it, desperate to do something, anything to assuage that hurt. Only, it reached back, almost uncertainly, ready to accept his help, before it suddenly kicked him away. But in the briefest moment of contact, he at least understood. “No!” he cried out, coming to a strange awareness when his head hit the ground.

“Taekwoon!” He heard the cry as if from far away.

Ghostly hands brushed at his skin and he wanted to push them away but then his vision started to settle as his mind made sense of the fact he was no longer in Trance. Like many times before, he’d been forcibly pushed out. It was just taking him longer to realize it. He groaned, wincing against the sudden splitting headache pounding against his skull.

“I’ve got you,” the same voice spoke again and a figure started to materialize in his murky vision.

“Jinki,” he gasped, blinking hard to try and focus, but it was a losing battle. He could see the other man looking down at him and then looking around, the panic on his face almost comical in his pain filled fugue.

Focusing once more, Jinki leaned close to his face, one hand on Taekwoon’s cheek and the other cradling the back of his head. “What happened? What’s wrong?” he asked, lip caught between his bottom teeth in his worry.

It seemed impossible but Taekwoon knew what he’d felt, almost seen, in that brief moment of contact before he’d been kicked out of Trance. “Tiamat… is free,” he gasped in the barest of whispers.


	42. First Encounter

There was something wrong with all of the dragons. To be fair, the riders weren’t unaffected either but at least most were functional. Unfortunately for Jinki, Taekwoon fell into the smaller group of riders that were hit harder by whatever had happened in the Group Trance.

Under Masters Hyesung and Mimi’s guidance, most of the able bodied non-riders had been called to help do what they could in the aftermath. The dragons could only be made as comfortable as possible, since they continued to slumber. Commander Yunho assured them that the dragons didn’t seem to be in any pain, but he couldn’t reach Hero to confirm. Their bond was still there, but the dragons were, for all intents and purposes, shut away or blocked off. That matched fairly well with what Jinki himself felt between him and Jongup. It was strange knowing the dragon was still there, but also realizing he couldn’t feel him like he should.

For the majority of riders, they could walk but functioning normally was a challenge at first. According to Master Mimi, it was almost as if they’d come out of a forced, extended sleep. They all knew the riders hadn’t, but their responses and awareness were all slower and less than they should be. And in those who seemed to be a little more dragon than normal, they appeared to be caught in more of a waking fugue. Jinki had stayed with Taekwoon for as long as it took to make sure he was okay, or as alright as he was going to be, but it was quite obvious something was wrong within. Physically, everyone was completely normal. Mentally… was another matter entirely.

Master Mimi had given the most affected riders sleeping draughts and chased Jinki out when he assumed the young man would only worry himself sick. So… here he was instead, slumped on the couch in Master Satoru’s office. Jinki rubbed his temples with his fingers and groaned loudly. “Here,” the Aerie Master encouraged, shuffling closer with a tiny steps. “Have some tea,” he offered, bringing a half-full and shaky cup to set down before the younger man.

Jinki looked up and flinched in mute apology. “You’re supposed to be resting,” he reminded the older man with a weary voice.

Satoru simply shrugged and waited patiently. “Master Mimi has other concerns to focus on at the moment,” he explained with a flippant but slower wave of his hand. “And clearly you need someone to distract you,” he added with a light chuckle.

Given how he felt just then, Jinki couldn’t really argue. He wrinkled his nose and reluctantly accepted the offering from the table, exhaling deeply. “Thank you.” There was no question of sleeping draughts this time; just easy and willing acceptance. Sleep would be a mercy at this point.

“Now, in the interest of at least attempting to placate the Master Healer and since Mimi has forbidden me from getting directly involved, would you kindly tell me what has happened?” Satoru asked as he set himself down in the chair across from the couch, perching carefully on the edge.

Jinki didn’t answer immediately. He didn’t show he heard the question, but he took another sip of tea first, inhaling the scent deeply and letting the warm steam coat his throat and lungs. “I don’t know much,” he eventually admitted with a slow shake of his head as he cradled the cup and saucer close. “Only that Taekwoon thought he felt or saw Tiamat’s awakening.”

“Well then,” the other man murmured, clasping his hands gently in his lap as he looked towards the door near his desk. Jinki followed his gaze and pursed his lips, waiting to see what he might say. “And do we know what befell them before they all collapsed into slumber?” he asked instead, gaze still averted.

“No,” he shook his head and sighed. “Taekwoon wasn’t able to explain anything to me before he started coming in and out of consciousness…” His voice trailed off and he took a slow deep breath. “Will he be alright?” He knew what Master Mimi had said but… he wanted to hear from another source that might know more.

Satoru’s immediate silence was not comforting. Dark eyes swung back around and gave him a piteous look. “I don’t know, Jinki. All of this is new. And I suspect it has something to do with Master Kevin, but I can’t say for sure.”

“I was afraid of that…” Jinki muttered, looking at the door nearby.

This time, Satoru followed and then shook his head. “Don’t.”

“What?” Jinki asked, feigning ignorance.

The Aerie Master saw through him quickly and gave a wry smile before he snorted. “I don’t think he’ll have the answers you want.”

“What if Taekwoon was right, though? What if he does have the answers we need? The power we need to match Tiamat?” he asked, almost desperate, though he knew they could very well be playing with fire.

“Then we would be truly fortunate and better off for it,” Satoru admitted with a shrug. “But the risk is greater than the rewards at the moment.” He pursed his lips and worked his jaw for a few heartbeats before he glanced up and asked, “What of your bond with Jongup?”

It was not the question he’d been expecting but it made Jinki look inward. It was still there, but quiet. There was no feeling of anything beyond the dragon’s silent presence. “Dormant,” he grimaced, wondering how it felt for the other riders. “But…” he started, raising his hand as a thought occurred to him. “Before their collapse, I did reach for Jongup and our bond felt… stronger than usual.”

“Oh? That is interesting,” Satoru hummed, catching his chin with his fingers. “That was during the Group Trance session too. I wonder if it has anything to do with Tiamat’s awakening.”

“What do you mean?” Jinki asked, brow furrowed.

Satoru shook his head and took a small breath as he tried to organize his thoughts. “Trance is dragon space, correct?” he questioned, holding one finger up at Jinki as he waited for the response. When Jinki nodded, he continued, “Humans can’t access it without dragons so it is reasonable to assume that the Trance space itself is some creation of Tiamat and or Bahamut themselves. Tiamat has been bound. Sleeping for the most part, if her situation is anything like Bahamut’s,” he explained with a half-hearted shrug. “So… if her bindings were broken, it’s possible that her power was also freed and released into the Trance space,” he explained carefully, expression tense.

“But what does that mean for everyone that was in Trance at the time?” Jinki asked, shaking his head in confusion.

“I don’t know,” Satoru admitted again, his frustration evident. “For most riders, it looks like it didn’t mean anything. But for the dragons and people like Taekwoon and Chaerin…”

Jinki’s face hardened and he shook his head. “There must be something we can do.”

“Right now?” Satoru questioned, the utterance more rhetorical than anything. “The only real option is to wait.”

“No!” the other man snapped, hitting his thigh with his fist.

The Aerie Master laughed sadly once. “I understand your frustration, Jinki.”

“Do you?” the younger man retorted in pained frustration. One raised brow was enough to quiet him and he sank into his seat before reaching for his tea once more. “Sorry,” he mumbled over the lip of the cup.

“We cannot send dragon missives or patrols as we originally intended. We have an even more frightened populous as a result of the dragons’ state, and we are in effect defenseless,” he catalogued each point matter of factly, ticking them off on his fingers.

With one hand clenched into a trembling fist, Jinki exhaled forcefully, “Then why shouldn’t we try to wake Bahamut?”

Satoru took a breath and folded his arms across his body, gaze resting on the door to his sleeping quarters once more. “Sometimes… timing is what is most important. If we try to wake him now, and he is the angry and bitter dragon god we fear is possible, then his ire would be turned upon us most likely,” he explained, fingers tapping on his arms rhythmically. “But,” he added, raising one finger as he looked back at Jinki, “if we wait for the appropriate time, regardless of his disposition, his attention would likely be forced elsewhere.”

The reality of what the Aerie Master was proposing took a little while to sink in, but when it did, Jinki sat up abruptly. “You mean to try and use Bahamut.” It was a statement, not a question.

“Correct.”

“But…” Jinki tried to deny, his voice fading quickly.

“He is our patron deity?” Satoru asked, almost as if he could sense his protégés question. His dismissive hand wave was almost contemptuous. “I have long since come to the conclusion that is probably a lie,” he grimaced. “We are told one story, but if we look closely, it feels wrong.”

“There is no doubt that Bahamut is a god,” Jinki stated with a shake of his head, setting the cup of mostly empty tea on the table.

“No. He is,” Satoru agreed easily, no argument there. “There is no doubt that he and Tiamat created the dragons and us as well in ages past. Nor do I doubt that they _were_ our patron deities before the Dragon Wars,” he admitted with a heavy sigh, shoulders slumping and posture filled with sadness. “But forced guidance and captivity…” he trailed off, cringing as if the words actually hurt him. Perhaps they did… “If he feels even a fragment of what I feel…” he whispered with a trembling voice, “I do not believe he will see us as he once may have.”

“Satoru…” Jinki whispered, one hand reaching out briefly as if to offer some kind of comfort. He realized he had none to give. Or at least he didn’t know what to say, so he pulled his hand back and gripped the front of his own shirt lightly. After what felt like a long moment of silence between them, he tried to speak again. “I know you don’t want to free him right now, but… can I see him?” he asked softly, eyes drifting up to hold Satoru’s gaze intently.

The Aerie Master’s laugh was mirthless. “You always were brave with your questions,” he snorted once, head nodding along to whatever thoughts ran through his mind. “But I suppose it is your right and your privilege as the next Aerie Master.”

“There’s Yongguk though…”

“Who may or may not ever be able to return,” Satoru shrugged in easy acceptance. “For one reason or another.”

“You sound as if you think something might happen,” Jinki offered hesitantly.

His response was a bitter laugh this time. “I cannot pretend to know Kevin’s thoughts, but… if he has woken Tiamat and _not_ Bahamut, then it only stands to reason that they will come here next. To destroy or subdue Bahamut most likely. If Tiamat did suffer defeat from Bahamut in the Dragon Wars, it is likely she will seek revenge.”

Jinki took a small breath and glanced down, playing with his fingers in his lap. He didn’t look up when he spoke first. “I don’t doubt that. But… before Jongup’s connection fell dormant, I felt… something. It wasn’t from him. And I know it wasn’t me, but there was… well, there were many feelings in a short time. They just felt far away when I realized. I don’t think you’re wrong that Tiamat is angry, but I think there might be more to it than just that,” he explained with a determined sigh, meeting his mentor’s gaze once more.

“Interesting,” Satoru mused, eyes narrowed thoughtfully. He hummed to himself thoughtfully and then stood up, the motion slow but determined. “Come along,” he encouraged as he turned and headed for the door to his sleeping quarters.

“To Bahamut?” Jinki asked quickly, already starting to stand up. One side-eyed glance quelled some of his enthusiasm but not entirely. “Right,” he nodded, standing upright and brushing off the front of his shirt.

Quietly, he followed after Satoru’s slow steps, almost painfully so. The older man opened his sleeping quarter’s door, revealing a dark room – there were no windows offering any light and only what spilled in from the office served to give any illumination. Satoru took his hand and pulled him confidently forward, past shadows within shadows as they moved towards the opposite wall.

“Follow the path of stardust,” Satoru murmured, his arm moving in the darkness before a soft click sounded and stone moved, grinding quietly as an opening appeared before them. Jinki gasped at the yawning blackness before them but allowed himself to be pulled along down a set of winding stairs. It helped that Satoru moved so slowly, but it was all so surprising still… That was especially true with the rising warm breeze that carried dragon scent with it as it rushed past them, seeking the open air beyond the stone they were surrounded by.

His hand tightened on Satoru’s but the other man offered no reassurance. Only the steady sound of each footstep grounded him. He didn’t know how long they walked, but eventually, he felt a definite shift in temperature and atmosphere. Jinki inhaled sharply when they finally stopped descending and reached a level plateau where blue fire sprang into existence around them. The dancing lights clearly illuminated the absolutely massive body of a dragon before him. “Bahamut…” Jinki gasped, the familiar exclamation unusually true in this instance.

“Yes, it is,” Satoru confirmed as he finally let Jinki’s hand go and approached the slumbering body. His head turned down and Jinki followed the line of sight. Runes. There were rings upon rings of runes etched into the stone floor around the dragon’s body, but Jinki could see no obvious end in sight.

“Wait!” he reached and gasped as Satoru moved to walk across the runes.

The Aerie Master paused and turned back, his feet resting on etched markings as he did so. “These runes were carved into stone, not painted. It would take a lot more than walking on them to undo the spell that has been wrought here,” he explained easily. “Nor will Bahamut wake with our presence alone,” he added with a shrug. “Only Kevin could rouse him from his enchanted slumber…” he added quietly, voice almost disappointed.

“Oh,” Jinki exhaled, following quietly along and at last letting his eyes wander over the great silver dragon’s body. It was almost difficult for his mind to wrap around how much larger the dragon god was than any of the dragons he’d been around. Even Gain, who was among the largest he knew, would be small – very small – in comparison. His body wasn’t as large as the Aerie itself, but with wings spread, he likely would be. “Shards,” he whispered, borrowing one of Taekwoon’s often used utterances. Something else occurred to him very quickly though. “Something’s different about him.”

“Yes,” Satoru agreed easily, head turning to regard Jinki with an approving smile. “Our dragons all look the same, colors notwithstanding. But Bahamut,” he explained with a gesture towards the majestic sleeping body. “There is individuality here and personality, even in unconsciousness.”

And as Satoru said that, Jinki easily noticed what he was talking about. Bahamut appeared to have feathery whiskers that draped around his muzzle and horns with two prongs instead of one. Looking closer, his eye ridges seemed more pronounced and, in the flickering flames it was harder to tell, but his skin seemed mottled. Like there was some kind of silver pattern threaded throughout his hide. “Why…”

“Does he look different?” Satoru finished the expected question as he approached and placed his hands upon the steadily breathing body. “I don’t know. He is the original so it isn’t unexpected that he might appear a little different, but… it is strange.”

“Strange that _none_ of our dragons resemble him in his individuality,” Jinki mused, not sure what it meant. “Are you sure he’s sleeping?” he wondered, eyes settling on Satoru with his hand on the dragon’s face.

“Yes,” Satoru answered easily. “Kevin brought me down here many times. Bahamut will not wake unless the Dragon Priest commands it or… the runes are broken,” he added, his right hand moving up to lightly grab his left arm.

Drawing abreast of Satoru, Jinki raised his hand as if to touch Bahamut himself and then paused. “Why can Kevin wake Bahamut?”

“My guess would be because he has learned to harness the power of Bahamut’s and Tiamat’s blood. Or perhaps their blood is a part of him now,” Satoru mused thoughtfully, pulling his hand away. “I cannot say for sure. I only know what I have seen and been told, the latter of which was scarce to be sure. Kevin hoarded his words and knowledge though he was particularly fond of gloating…” the other man almost growled, anger suffusing his features before it disappeared quickly, like drawings in the dirt.

Jinki moved to Satoru’s side and grabbed his arm lightly in his hands. “We’ll be ready for him this time. No matter what happens. He is done controlling you, Satoru,” he promised, fingers tightening slightly. He was mildly surprised when Satoru turned and cupped his cheek, leaning closer quickly. But his uncertainty shifted to acceptance when the other man placed a tender kiss upon his brow.

“You are too good for this position,” he chuckled, the sound soft and a little sad.

“Well, you’ll be here for a while yet. I’ve still got plenty to learn from you,” Jinki assured him with a matter of fact nod. In his attempt to alleviate his Master’s concerns, he didn’t see Satoru’s almost invisible wince.

“Of course,” he murmured softly, his voice neutral in response. Satoru stepped back and freed his arm gently from Jinki’s grasp, gesturing towards Bahamut’s head instead. “Directly above here is the second Trial’s containment circle. It is how the trainees are able to enter the Trance space without a dragon actually being present.”

“Oh…” Jinki hummed, gazes traveling up to the darkness above Bahamut’s head. The light did not reach that high but he could well imagine there was little more than stone arching over them. Another thought occurred to him then and he frowned slightly. “If Kevin is the only one that can wake Bahamut, why were you worried about Taekwoon coming down here?”

The Aerie Master’s amusement was impossible to miss and he chuckled noticeably. “Your other half has a veritable knack for attracting unexpected situations. I figured a measure of caution would not hurt in this case.”

As much as he knew Taekwoon would probably argue the point, Jinki was inclined to agree. Life was certainly interesting around him, one way or another. And he lost nothing in not seeing the dragon god immediately. First, he had to recover from what had happened anyway. Then… they could discuss what might happen next. Still nodding, his smile slipped just a touch and he glanced at the dragon god once again. “You mentioned trying to wake him if the time was appropriate. How were you planning on doing that?” he asked, letting his gaze settle on Satoru once more.

Satoru inhaled slightly and tilted his head slightly. “In all honesty, breaking the runes might be the best approach,” he explained, turning his gaze upon the stone beneath their feet.

“Oh…” Jinki murmured, pursing his lips against the idea. Not that he had anything better to offer himself. It just seemed so… permanent?

“However, that is not for us to worry about at just this moment,” Satoru encouraged, stepping forward to catch Jinki with his hand and gently push him towards the entrance. “We have other pressing concerns to deal with in the immediate future,” he added with a heavy sigh.

“Right,” the acting Aerie Master nodded, thoughts turning dark as he recognized the task against them. Without functioning dragons, their ability to communicate quickly would be severely hampered. Furthermore, they had no strong defenses against… well, anything. Not that he foresaw this happening again in the future, but perhaps it would be something to consider trying to prevent preemptively, just in case.

And while Jinki and a slowly recovering Satoru attempted to tame the madness of their current situation within the Aerie, Taekwoon was left to try and sort his own troubles out without much assistance. What felt like days or even moons could have gone by in his waking and always exhausted fugue. Resting did not help, as when he slept, his mind, or perhaps his spirit, was pulled towards the Trance space, but like a ghost, he had no real effect upon it. When conscious, his body felt rested but his mind was tired and it sought sleep almost immediately, like an invalid recovering from a nasty accident.

What was worse, everything seemed foggy and he couldn’t really connect with his dragons. He knew Jinki came by from time to time, but the other man was not unlike a ghost himself when he visited. A part of Taekwoon knew it was likely that what was happening had something to do with him having more of a dragon spirit than most. He could feel it particularly keenly when unconscious. There was a pull, like a siren’s call in his blood. Every once in a while, he actually did slip into Trance, though he wasn’t sure how. He just recognized the roiling gray space and the ear splitting drone of a cacophony of voices echoing through it.

Eventually, the storm began to abate in the Trance space as the voices started dying down. While he still didn’t hear his own dragons, which was slightly worrisome if he was being honest, he did start to hear a new voice instead. Thin and fragile, little more than a whispering call in the empty space…

_Fei._

That was Chaerin’s dragon. So that must mean… With a purpose in mind, Taekwoon found he actually had agency just then. He could move of his own volition and he wandered in the direction he thought the voice had come from. _Fei…!_ Again, he heard the cry and this time he thought he could see a blip in the distance. Looking from side to side, Taekwoon didn’t see anything else so he continued his trek, curious now. As he got closer, he could see that it was indeed Chaerin, naked as the day she’d been born and completely fixated on a point in the distance. _Fei!_ she tried again, one hand reaching out as if to force the gray space to respond.

_Chaerin,_ he called softly, the sound mental as opposed to coming from his mouth.

She started as if completely surprised, and looked at him with an almost panicked expression. _Taekwoon!_ Again, the word emerged as a mental sound, though her mouth moved like she was speaking.

_What are you doing?_ he asked, head turning to look in the direction she’d been calling.

_Can’t you feel it?_ she wondered in response, brow furrowing as her surprise faded in lieu of pained curiosity.

_What?_ Taekwoon wondered, looking back at her.

_The bond. It’s weakening,_ she admitted, curiosity washing away to leave only pain and outrage. _And it’s_ her _doing!_ she practically growled, hands balling into fists at her sides.

_Her?_ he asked, knowing almost immediately who she meant after he asked.

_Tiamat,_ the woman snarled, the expression almost feral and dragon like in that moment. _She’s been talking to them. Haven’t you heard it?_ she asked him, gaze fierce as she glared at him.

_I heard something, but I can’t understand it,_ he explained with a worried shrug. Had he missed something? Looking inward, he tested his bond again. No. No change for him. It was still there and he could tell both were present, but it just felt like the connection had been muted, not really weakened. He didn’t feel anything from them either that would make him think they were in danger either.

_Useless,_ she scowled, pacing quickly in a small circle before reaching out her hand and trying again. _Fei!!_

It hurt to see. He could well imagine her panic at the mere thought of losing his connection. If she was actually losing hers, though he couldn’t imagine why, it bothered him to think about. _Can I help?_ he asked, taking a hesitant step closer.

Chaerin didn’t respond immediately. She simply stared straight ahead, tired body – even here, trembling with her suppressed fear. _I don’t know,_ she admitted after a moment, sighing heavily. _I can’t reach her as a human and I can’t summon my dragon half without getting kicked out,_ she sighed heavily, dejected in her failure.

_Oh,_ Taekwoon murmured with an uncertain tilt of his head. He hadn’t really tried shifting to his dragon half, or form, here so the thought hadn’t even occurred to him. _Do you think a dragon’s cry could reach her?_ he asked hesitantly.

_More than mine,_ she was quick to answer, the response more reflex than with any actual thought behind it.

Taekwoon took one more look at her, the dejected body language speaking volumes of what she wasn’t saying. Maybe whatever was happening wasn’t exactly affecting his dragons, but that wasn’t to say none of the others were feeling this effect. If nothing else, maybe reaching her dragon would let him reach his and they could perhaps move from this irritating cycle of waking and not. _Okay,_ he nodded once and stepped forward, placing himself in front of Chaerin like some sort of guard.

_What are you…_ she started to ask before he felt her curious surprise.

He didn’t even try to summon his dragon half yet. If he was right, he’d just get kicked out too like she had. Instead, he took the lessons he’d had with Gain and forced his body to change instead of his spirit. It was… hard though. His skin itched but it also felt tight and utterly resistant at first. Something about the space had changed and it was making it harder for him to force his will upon it.

Fingers curled into tight fists and his lip curled up in a silent snarl. He picked a point directly ahead of him and focused on it to the exclusion of all else. Skin burned and felt like it cracked before it finally started to stretch and shift. He growled through the pain and had to uncurl his fingers when he felt talons spiking his palms. Pain ripped through his shoulder blades when wings finally sprouted, long, leathery appendages quickly overshadowing his size and pulling him down to the ground. It hurt but was nothing compared to the agony that accompanied his shifting legs, knees reversing with a nauseating crunch. He howled into the ground, a shrill cry escaping through clenched teeth.

Fear edged its way past the pain and Taekwoon had a sudden image of the contorted Jongup the first time he’d seen him in this space. Oh Bahamut… was that what was happening here? The imagery did nothing to change what he felt, however, and he knew he couldn’t stop now. Stuck in this nightmare would be worse than trying to press forward, but he didn’t know how he would get past it. _Jong!_ he cried out, desperation sending a pulse through their bond.

Caught in an eternity of agony, he felt the call disappear like a ripple on the water. Silence stretched on forever. Despair started creeping in. _No…_ he growled, clenching his eyes tight and panting hard. Anger reared its head, hot and hungry. It tore at his despair and gnawed on the pain. _Change…_ he commanded himself, envisioning the dragon he knew he could become in this space. The dragon he’d been many times in the past. The dragon he needed to be now. _Change!_ he roared, the sound a contorted blend between man and dragon.

His bond quivered, a questing tendril, but little else.

Taekwoon took a small breath and slammed his taloned hands into the ground, digging claws deep into the malleable space. His bulk grew and a tail sprouted. A dragon’s maw pushed from his face and he felt every bone shift as his neck and head changed.

_Rider?_ The question was tiny. So very far away. But worried and curious.

_Curse you, Tiamat!_ Taekwoon raged, clinging to his anger at the other dragon to help focus his efforts. The pain started to ebb as his transformation became complete. Trembling with fury, the bronze dragon pushed himself up. His wings flared. His head reared back. His chest expanded as he drew in a deep breath.

_Rider!_ This time, the sound was clear and strong and very much surprised.

Taekwoon roared, head snapping forward as if to pierce the veil around them. He had meant to call for Fei, or even his own dragon, but the cry that emerged was anything but a questing one. It was a challenge. And he saw it ripple through the Trance space, disturbing the clouds like a boat on the water. The gray space suddenly darkened and a physical form solidified within it. Midnight flesh rose up like a mountain and golden eyes flashed, twin suns in the sky.

Tiamat.

Cold. Taekwoon suddenly felt like ice as he stared up at the enormous creature before him. She stared back, calculating and angry. It felt like she could reach down and simply eat him in one bite and for one terrifying moment, he thought she would. But then his bond sang and another cry emerged from within the gray space.

Tiamat’s head whipped around and she looked back, eyes wide and… hurt. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but another cry rose up and the Trance space convulsed. Gray washed over Taekwoon, rolling over him from behind. Chaerin hit his hind leg and he reached a hand back to grab her, pulling her against his chest as he shielded them both with his wings. The inward pull stopped and then exploded out, nearly knocking Taekwoon over despite his position. The black apparition disappeared with it and when the mist cleared, he saw a receding gray wall that left an open space in the middle.

There, resting within and moving about as if coming out of a spell, were dragons. All their dragons. Including Jonghyun, Jongup, and Fei. Stiffly, Taekwoon pushed up from his crouched position and freed Chaerin, letting her stumble from his grasp. In a daze, he watched her lurch forward, a desperate but relieved cry emerging from her lips as she sighted on her gold. Blinking once, he let his eyes settle on his copper and he huffed once, a pleased but disgruntled display.

_A little help next time,_ he grumbled, listing to the side slightly.

_You didn’t need it._ It was a statement of the obvious, but Taekwoon felt a tinge of guilt within. He may not have needed it, but the other dragon acknowledged it might have been a good idea all the same.

_Glad you’re back,_ he almost whispered, clinging to the bond between them before he let the exhaustion he was fighting pull him from his form and the Trance space.

With a pained groan, he opened his eyes and sat up with a breathless cough. For once, his vision wasn’t foggy anymore. That was nice but the first thing he heard was even better, the sound conjuring a smile on his face: lowing dragons searching for their riders. Their reverberating cries seeped into his skin and wrapped him in a comforting blanket. The only thing better would have been-

“Woonie!” The door to the Healing Hall slammed open and a winded Jinki stumbled inside, flailing his way to Taekwoon’s bed. “You’re awake!” he cried, throwing himself at the bed-ridden rider.

Taekwoon grunted as he tried to catch Jinki and failed utterly before collapsing on the bed under him. “Ow,” he groaned with a pained laugh, wrapping strangely weak arms around his other half. “Missed you too,” he whispered, resting his head against Jinki’s.

“I heard the dragons waking up and knew it probably had something to do with you,” Jinki responded in a rushed outburst and a beaming smile as he pulled back enough to look at the other man.

“There’s quite a story behind that…” Taekwoon trailed off with a nod of his head.

“I’ve got one for you too,” Jinki countered, one hand reaching up to cup Taekwoon’s face. “But first,” he murmured, leaning close and placing a warm kiss on his lips.

When Jinki tried to pull away, Taekwoon followed and stole one more. Only then did he let him go with a pleased smile. “That was certainly worth waking up for.” Jinki’s smile was bashful but happy. “Now,” he exhaled, wincing briefly as he tried to sit up again with a quick glance around. “What did I miss?”


	43. Blessing or Curse

Only, they didn’t immediately talk about all that had happened. The on watch-duty Himchan returned with Master Mimi not more than a few heartbeats after they finished greeting each other. The latter was absolutely adamant about the waking riders actually waking up and eating their first solid meal in days.

“Days?” Taekwoon asked for clarification, with an extra emphasis on the s at the end of the word.

“Oh yes. Six to be exact,” Master Mimi nodded as he did a once over of Taekwoon first before moving further into the hall so he could check on Chaerin and her rousing group.

“Almost seven,” Himchan added with a strange mix of relief, excitement, and uncertainty all blending together. He seemed to feel Mimi’s glance and nodded once before drifting inward first, though he did offer a reassuring smile to Taekwoon as he passed.

Taekwoon and Jinki responded in kind and then focused on each other again. Noticing his position, Taekwoon looked at his other half quickly, still wide eyed in his surprise, before the other man raised his hand with a sheepish expression on his face. “I requested you be positioned at the front so I could check on you easier…” he trailed off with a helpless shrug.

“And since you were generally the only one receiving regular visits, it just made sense,” Mimi added easily, his focus otherwise on a bleary eyed Ryeowook. The Healer did cast one more glance at the still sleeping Chaerin, a slight crease on his forehead appearing before he moved to the next person.

“I see,” Taekwoon nodded, laughing once under his breath. He grabbed Jinki’s hand in his and held tight, though his focus drifted to Chaerin as well and he shuddered involuntarily.

His other half didn’t miss it and he squeezed his hand back, moving swiftly into an informing role. “Insoo did come by too. As did most of your wingmates at some point or another,” Jinki assured him. “They all came out of this pretty quickly,” he added while his eyes searched Taekwoon’s face as if looking for something. “Some headaches and tiredness, but nothing too bad. What about you? You alright?” he asked, brushing his fingertips against Taekwoon’s shoulder and letting them linger.

“Yes,” Taekwoon insisted quickly, turning to meet his other half’s gaze. But even as he said it, he wasn’t sure that was entirely true as his stomach knotted uncomfortably. _Jong?_ he called out, testing the bond and reaching for his dragon.

Thankfully, that at least appeared unchanged and his dragon responded immediately. _Yes?_

 _Is Fei still in Trance?_ he wondered, knowing that if she was, that was likely where Chaerin still was.

“You sure?” Jinki pressed gently, tracing a strand of Taekwoon’s hair behind one ear, his face creasing in mild concern.

_Yes,_ was Jonghyun’s slightly delayed response. _Other dragons awake._

Taekwoon nodded in understanding, but then focused his attention back on Jinki, his eyesight sharpening when he looked outward again. His nod turned into assurance and he added, “I’m fine, my heart. Just…” he trailed off, not entirely sure what to say.

“Jinki. Could you go tell Master Junjin the riders have woken up and need food please?” Mimi asked, interrupting the moment before Taekwoon could finish his thoughts. “And Himchan, if you wouldn’t mind locating Henry.”

“Yes, sir!” Himchan chirped immediately, brushing past the pair at the front as he did so, one hand briefly giving Jinki’s arm a supportive squeeze before he was gone.

Jinki gave him a grateful smile and then looked at Taekwoon again. He knew there was something more to be said. His expression showed it quite clearly. But he held Taekwoon’s hand and nodded once before forcing a smile and looking up at the Healer. “Of course, Master Mimi.”

“Thank you,” the Healer nodded, distracted with Chaerin’s condition currently.

“I’ll be right back,” Jinki promised, looking at Taekwoon as if he expected something else to happen in the meantime.

“I’ll be here,” Taekwoon assured him, running the backs of his fingers across Jinki’s cheek in a gentle caress.

Jinki nodded once in understanding and then he was gone, slipping away swiftly to do what he could. It left Taekwoon to his thoughts though, and the relative isolation of being the only one that didn’t quite belong to a particular group in this space. Chaerin’s group was coming around and talking quietly amongst themselves with the occasional worried glance at Chaerin herself. One or two cast curious looks his way but they all seemed… hesitant to speak. Why, he didn’t know, but it was certainly unsettling.

_Why not speak with mate?_ Jonghyun asked curiously, his tone indicating he thought Taekwoon should have said something already.

There were many responses that went through his mind just then, but really, what it all came down to was, _Foolishness._ Clearly his answer was more confusing than he had anticipated and all he got back was a silent question. Glancing at the other riders and Chaerin especially, he frowned. _Mate can’t help. Probably. And would only make him worry more._

He felt a brief moment of silence as if Jonghyun was talking to Jongup and then his dragon responded. _Still. Should tell. Worry together about same thing. Not worry apart about different things._

Taekwoon winced and exhaled slowly, curling in on himself on the bed. _I know._ He did, really. But it didn’t make him feel any better about what had happened. Now that he was back in his body and actually conscious, he could remember more clearly what had happened. With memory came phantom feelings and he flinched at the still audible sound – and almost palpable feeling – of him changing ringing in his ears. Desperate to focus on anything else, he reached for his dragon again. _What happened with Tiamat?_

Anger pulsed first. It was a reactionary response and not directed at him, but Taekwoon felt it quite clearly. _We felt her wake and called. Wasn’t planned…_ the dragon admitted hesitantly, as if he was thinking about what had happened himself. _Not spell… but instinct,_ he clarified a breath later.

_Like something in the blood?_ Taekwoon asked, fingers tightening on his arms as he hugged himself.

_Yes. She heard and came. Answered her children’s call._ He sounded very conflicted then. _We… talked,_ he admitted uncertainly, the feeling obvious in his voice but also the connection between them.

_About what?_ his rider pressed, realizing he hadn’t been able to understand but sure that he’d heard the voices.

_Everything,_ was the unhelpful response. When Jonghyun felt Taekwoon’s frustration, he struggled to find a better answer. _Our understanding of time after she was bound. Our feelings of now._

 _Was she angry?_ Taekwoon couldn’t help but ask. The glimpse he’d had of her was terrifying and her anger had been directed at him specifically. For good reason but still…

_Not with us,_ his dragon shook his head, still trying to puzzle through what he knew and what he’d felt. _Humans. Riders._

 _Hmm. Why couldn’t I reach you?_ Their bond had remained secure so he had no cause to worry at the time, but in hindsight, it probably should have been more concerning that their lack of communication had gone on for so long. It was just impossible to tell in the Trance space exactly how much time had gone by. He certainly hadn’t expected six days.

 _I… spell?_ his dragon wondered aloud, obviously mulling over the idea. _Felt our connection. Knew still there, but she wanted us. All of us. No riders. No humans. Come home._

_Home?_

_To her. Some dragons start to agree. Try to convince others. She didn’t want some. She wanted all, so keep talking. Keep making… spell._ His thoughts grew troubled and heavy, pressing on Taekwoon as well.

_Did you want to go to her?_ he couldn’t help but ask.

_Yes._ His blunt answer surprised Taekwoon and Jonghyun responded accordingly. _Am dragon. She is all dragons’ mother. So yes. But can’t. Won’t. Hates humans. Hates riders. You would die._

That he could very easily believe. Recalling the last moments again, he shivered and hunched further inward. His voice remained strong through their connection though. _Was Fei one that wanted to go with Tiamat?_ There had to be a reason why Chaerin thought her bond was weakening.

Jonghyun’s immediate silence was answer enough. But he eventually did offer a verbal response. _Yes. But also dragons in her group. New dragons too. And…_ he trailed off, the last word almost a whisper, like he was having trouble believing it himself. _Gain._

 _What?_ That caught Taekwoon’s attention.

_Before your challenge, Gain and Hero argued. Two sides. I… stood with Hero,_ he explained, almost surprised at his choice. Taekwoon wanted to ask another question but he knew there was something that had been left unsaid. That Jonghyun wanted to say but hadn’t found the words yet. So he waited, and wasn’t disappointed. _Hard to argue against… Gain. So stayed quiet. Sleepy. Like dream. But heard you. Felt you, rider. Not there when you needed me._

He didn’t say it, but Taekwoon felt the apology hidden in the words. _I was scared. Hurting. You weren’t there when I thought I needed you, but you came through in the end. That was you wasn’t it?_ he asked, knowing the dragon would understand the question.

Quiet pride flowed between them and Jonghyun answered, _Yes. Then Hero,_ he added with just a hint of deserved gloating. That seemed to be enough to sate the distance between them and an awkward silence descended. Taekwoon didn’t know what else to ask or mention and Jonghyun seemed finished for the moment. But the dragon did add eventually, _Talk to mate. He has heard you._

That startled Taekwoon and he inhaled sharply as he opened watery eyes. Still curled in on himself, he reached up to wipe at the tears on his cheek before a hand caught his and did it for him. Jinki gently wiped his thumb under Taekwoon’s eyes and just looked at him with this expression of pained understanding. “You were whispering out loud, love,” he murmured, answering the unspoken question. “You do it sometimes,” he added softly, a light shrug accompanying the words.

“How long?” Taekwoon asked, still curled on his side so that he could only see Jinki out of the corner of his eyes.

“Just the last part, but hard not to know something’s bothering you with how you look now,” he explained, exhaling with a look up and down Taekwoon’s curled up form.

Taekwoon nodded and unfolded enough to wrap his arms around Jinki’s shoulders and hug him tight. “Just… stay with me for a bit,” he whispered, taking a trembling breath.

“Of course,” Jinki laughed once, as if doing anything else was an absurd thought. “Then food. Then an actual night’s sleep. And then we can think about talking,” he soothed, one hand cupping the back of Taekwoon’s head and the other running soothing strokes down his back.

It didn’t change what had happened, but it did help the knot in Taekwoon’s belly to loosen just a touch. He took one more deep breath, shaky but full, and whispered back, “Okay.”

The evening was unproductive… but restful. None of the waking riders were allowed to leave just yet. They were all ordered to remain under observation to be sure there were no effects of their prolonged exposure to Trance. Though Chaerin was the last to wake, she did come around eventually, her energy much diminished but well. She looked at Taekwoon and he could see the strangest combination of emotions in her, clear as day as if he was reading dragon speak in her body language.

Lingering fear. Gratitude. Sadness. Certainly anger, though not at him. There was something else there too but he wasn’t sure what word to put to it. It made him wary.

Commander Yunho arrived later in the evening – it had been late afternoon when they’d come around – and tried to ask questions, but Healer Mimi denied him that. It rankled and the restriction showed on Yunho’s face, his eyes raking the occupants as if they might have secrets he needed to know about what was happening.

“Your dragon was just as much a part of this as them so go ask him if he’s willing to answer,” the Master Healer instructed, arms crossed over his chest as he met the Commander’s gaze evenly. Outside, they were obviously no match for each other. Yunho would win in combat any given day, but the Healing Hall was Mimi’s domain. Here, he was master and his word was law.

“But-”

“No. They are my patients and I require they have at least one solid night of true rest before anyone starts demanding a recounting of what happened. One night isn’t going to change much,” he added with a matter of fact statement.

Commander Yunho’s mouth firmed and his body tensed but he did not argue the point. He cast one more glance around the room, letting his gaze linger on Taekwoon before he really saw Jinki and exhaled slightly. “Very well. On the morrow then,” he snapped, turning on his heels and leaving abruptly.

“Well then,” Healer Mimi snorted and shook his head. He turned to go back to monitoring his patients while they all simply exchanged at least mildly impressed looks. As a Captain, Yunho had been at least slightly imposing for most of them. As a Commander, that sensation hadn’t really faded and it was… nice to say the least, to see him treated the same as everybody else once in a while.

Jinki did have to leave at one point to report to Master Satoru, but he returned before too much time had gone by. That the Healers were curious was quite obvious, especially so on Himchan and Henry’s faces. But under Mimi’s watchful eyes, they were hardly inclined to pry and were content to let the riders divulge what they wanted and when.

That Jinki took up the mantle of bringing them up to speed on the day to day happenings they’d missed was expected, to a degree, but it did not make Taekwoon forget there was more going on. The cold snap seemed to have broken at last and the snow was starting to melt. Messengers could get to Miremaw by horse a bit easier now and travel was resuming once more. They’d had a recent influx of a few new persons seeking sanctuary but nothing entirely unexpected.

It did make Taekwoon smile to learn of Master Minjun’s excitement about the Group Trance event though. Perched on the foot of Taekwoon’s bed, Jinki was animated in his retelling of the Masters walking from the dining hall. And their continued exuberance even after. Taekwoon could have watched him all night. Jinki was very much a literal balm on his ragged spirit. In his company, pleasantly full from their evening meal and tired from their endeavors, Jinki’s voice was also very much a soothing lullaby and Taekwoon slept, really slept, for the first time in days.

Only when Taekwoon woke did he have to start thinking about what had happened while he’d been unconscious previously. Despite waking within the circle of Jinki’s arms, his first impulse was to reach for his dragons, just to make sure they were there. A sleepy but reassuring touch answered his call and then gently pushed him away for more rest. The response made Taekwoon’s mouth quirk to the side and he snuggled harder against his other half’s chest.

“You waking up?” came the first soft words of his morning.

At first, Taekwoon didn’t want to answer and he reveled in the gentle touch that traced against the back of his head. He knew Jinki wouldn’t force him to come around if he didn’t really want to, but… he also knew this was a very temporary respite. And, if he recalled correctly, he was still in the Healing Hall as opposed to the comfort of their shared room. “Yes,” he admitted begrudgingly, lifting his face to rest his chin on Jinki’s chest so he could meet the other man’s partially closed eyes. Glancing to either side quickly confirmed his suspicion and he wrinkled his nose.

“There you are,” Jinki smiled, a warm and comforting expression that drew Taekwoon’s focus once more. “Good morning.”

“Morning yourself,” the rider sighed, blinking slowly as he fought to not give into the impulse of simply curling close and falling asleep again. It was tempting indeed. Especially given the additional albeit still sleeping company nearby. Henry was on watch duty, though the young Healer was very much nodding with the rest of them and the other riders were still in their restful slumbers as well. Chaerin’s back was to them so he couldn’t tell exactly, but he wouldn’t put it past her to pretend just so she could listen in.

“How’d you sleep?” came the otherwise expected question and another gentle stroke against his brow this time.

Considering he didn’t even remember sleeping or falling asleep, Taekwoon figured it was a pretty good night. “Good. You?”

“I always sleep better when you’re here,” he admitted with an almost shy smile.

They had literally done nothing more than share the same sleeping space, but the admission was enough for Taekwoon to reach up and brush his fingers against Jinki’s cheek. “Me too,” he promised, hand drifting down to rest against the side of his bare neck. They held each other’s gazes for a moment longer, content to just be for a little while, but then Taekwoon sighed. “So… what did I miss?”

Jinki’s mouth twisted into a slight frown and he gently grabbed Taekwoon’s forearm. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

“I promise,” he whispered, feeling much stronger about that statement today. Maybe not completely, but enough to know what he needed to know, even if the memory of yesterday did make his stomach twist into a loose knot.

The other man’s brow rose as if he didn’t entirely trust him, lips thinning to match the gesture. Eventually, he sighed and his face relaxed in acquiescence. “You just look so pale,” he grumbled with laughter in his voice. Taekwoon refrained from saying the same thing about his other half and simply waited, an expectant smile on his face. “Fine,” Jinki snorted with a shake of his head. “But not until you have a decent morning meal and we have a moment to ourselves. And then it’s your turn.”

The added step was frustrating, but he couldn’t exactly argue. Apparently he’d been eating nothing but broth for the past sevenday, more or less. And he could feel it. “Fine,” he relented easily, casting a quick look at Henry. “Do you want to wake him or should I?” he offered almost playfully.

“I’ll do it,” Jinki snorted with a shake of his head. Reluctantly, he pulled free and wandered over to speak with the Healer in training. Not surprisingly, Taekwoon couldn’t leave until Master Healer Mimi had a chance to clear him, which took more time. Since Henry couldn’t leave, that meant Jinki had to and it was all just more trouble than it seemed to be worth for the time being.

Granted, it made a great deal more sense after they’d been cleared, ambled into the dining hall kitchens for a quick early morning meal, and then made their way back to their shared quarters for more privacy. Only then was Jinki willing to speak more freely, citing potentially panic-inducing information should anyone else happen to hear it.

Taekwoon had half expected any number of things to have occurred such as the usual Aerie troubles and tensions and whatnot. But ultimately, the news that Jinki had seen Bahamut himself and that they’d noticed other dragons patrolling in the distance made him nearly forget his own information. Jinki explained the dragons were not part of the Stardust Battalion but neither were they with Tiamat’s Aerie. They appeared to be a separate set that could have been standard dragons, formerly bound or even rogues, but as they had not come towards the Aerie, they were not deemed a threat. Yet. The larger concern was actually Bahamut and the gift or curse he potentially represented.

“Satoru believes timing will be more important there,” Jinki explained with a helpless shrug. “I just don’t know what the right time will be,” he admitted quietly, at a loss.

Unfortunately, Taekwoon had a very unpleasant idea of when that might be. “Actually…” he trailed off, twisting his mouth to the side with a chagrined look.

“What?” his other half asked by rote, though the curiosity was genuine.

“I’m pretty sure Tiamat will be coming this way at least sometime soon,” he explained hesitantly.

“And how would you know that?” Jinki asked with suspicion evident in his tone.

“I may have challenged Tiamat in Trance,” Taekwoon admitted, cringing automatically. “I hadn’t meant to,” he tried to defend himself when he saw the immediate flood of reactions flash across Jinki’s face: surprise, anger, fear… “I had meant to call for Jonghyun but the dragon in me was angry and hurting and – to be fair, so was I. We both lashed out at the thing causing it. Tiamat,” he exhaled, letting out the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. “She came, which was terrifying,” he added with an involuntary shudder. “But as a result, I think we stopped whatever she was trying to do.”

It was clear Jinki was not happy with what his other half had told him, but it was equally obvious he was following the thought process. “And you think she may come here to…”

“Get revenge or, maybe, try to finish what she started,” he explained with a shrug. “I know she was mad at me,” he started, flinching away from the glare in those golden eyes, “but it was strange.” Jinki’s question was obvious on his face. “Everyone told us she was always angry at the world. A mad dragon bent on revenge. And part of her is, if what I felt was any indication. But… she seemed more sad or lonely when she first woke up.”

“That is strange,” Jinki murmured, brushing at his chin with thumb thoughtfully.

“And… when Jonghyun helped break her… spell, it almost seemed as if she felt… I don’t know, betrayed,” he added hesitantly. It felt right but it didn’t sound right to apply such human emotions to what he’d always envisioned as a god.

Jinki didn’t say anything immediately. His expression indicated he was thinking instead with a wrinkle forming between his brows that wasn’t particularly comforting. “That is both surprising and… worrying,” he finally whispered with a quick glance at Taekwoon.

“Why does it make you worry?” the rider couldn’t help but ask.

Again, Jinki frowned and his forehead wrinkle deepened. “It is not exactly Tiamat that worries me. Rather… if she feels such things now, I hate to think what Bahamut might feel.”

That was an unwanted dousing of cold water on Taekwoon’s thoughts. “Oh,” he exhaled once, blinking as he turned that possibility over in his mind. _History_ said that he’d defeated Tiamat and ascended to the heavens, untouched by man. The contrary evidence around them showed that was an abject lie. Bahamut had been imprisoned against his will. Whether he won or not against Tiamat didn’t matter. The fact was that humans had bound him with runes and used him for hundreds of years for their own ends.

He knew for a fact that Tiamat hated humans. He’d felt it and his dragon had told him as much. It was not such an outlandish idea that maybe… just maybe, Bahamut felt some of what Tiamat did. “That _is_ worrying,” Taekwoon admitted with a twist to his mouth. Jinki simply nodded in mute agreement and held tighter to his other half.


	44. Two Sides to Every Story

That was very much a sentiment that was shared by Satoru as well as Commander Yunho when they were finally in the same room together the following day. Somewhat not surprisingly, Chaerin was also in attendance in the Aerie Master’s office though none of her kin were. “None of them saw Tiamat,” the Commander stated when he had to explain his reasoning for her presence. “She did.”

She flinched as attention settled on her and her gaze settled on Taekwoon, that strange mix of emotions warring on her face again. “Thank you,” she simply said, directing the words at the other young rider in their midst.

Taekwoon shrugged and nodded once but didn’t respond. It didn’t seem to help his case with the Commander who eyed them both suspiciously. But before he could say anything, Satoru spoke up. “You said that they saw Tiamat in Trance. Can you tell us more about that?” he asked, glancing between the two riders.

Chaerin immediately shook her head and looked down at her hands. “I only saw her briefly. It’s more about what we felt in Trance.”

“Go on,” Yunho urged, arms crossed over his chest as he waited impatiently.

Taekwoon rather thought Hero wasn’t able to give him enough answers to make him understand what had happened and that was making him antsy. It was frustrating. “The dragons saw more than we did. They were with her the whole time. We were just on the outside. Feeling just enough because of… our dragon natures,” he admitted with a slight grimace. Jinki caught his hand and squeezed it supportively, though held his tongue.

“She was turning our dragons against us, Taekwoon. If you know anything else, I think it’s very important that you say it,” the Commander snapped, a glower on his face.

He was afraid. That was what it was. Taekwoon blinked in surprise as the realization came to him. It was obvious in his body language. The tension he carried. “I don’t _know_ anything for certain,” he quipped, one hand gesturing in the air in irritation. “I only know what I… felt,” he hiccupped once, pursing his lips. “What I was able to do in Trance.”

“Oh?” Satoru hummed thoughtfully, hands clasped in his lap as he listened. He glanced at Yunho once, a brow raised to stall the Commander from saying anything, and then focused his attention back on Taekwoon.

For his part, Taekwoon looked back at Jinki and took a small breath. As best he could, he explained the first sensation he’d experienced of Tiamat’s coming. It was still very jumbled in his head, but the emotions had been pretty clear. He continued with what it was like floating in and out of Trance after that. Then he detailed his connection with Jonghyun and to a degree Jongup. Lastly he spoke of how he’d heard Chaerin and, with a nod in her direction, went into how he tried to help. He couldn’t keep himself from skimming past the painful transformation part and he saw Chaerin noticed, but she held her tongue.

“And so I managed to challenge Tiamat…” he trailed off, looking at the floor instead of Commander Yunho.

“What were you thinking?!” the Commander scowled, expression aghast.

“I wasn’t,” Taekwoon answered before he could think about it. Immediately, he winced and prepared for another tongue lashing.

“It worked,” Chaerin spoke before Yunho could begin his diatribe.

“What?” the group asked at nearly the same time, all attention shifting to her again.

“The challenge,” she answered, gesturing at Taekwoon. “Intentional or not, he pulled Tiamat’s attention away from the dragons and whatever she was trying to do. It… let them… um, Jonghyun,” she floundered for Taekwoon’s dragon’s name, “respond.”

“Hero did mention that,” Yunho muttered in concession.

“Chaerin,” Satoru called softly, leaning forward to draw her attention his way.

“Yes?” she asked uncertainly.

“How did you know your bond was being tested?” he wondered, voicing what they had all probably thought at one point or another. When she didn’t immediately answer, he added, “From what I understand, your kin weren’t as aware of the shift so what made you realize what was happening?”

Chaerin wrinkled her nose and glanced at Taekwoon once before looking away quickly. “I don’t know why but… my father seems to think I have one of the strongest bonds among his children. It was… part of the reason…” she hesitated, carefully not looking at Taekwoon this time.

“Ah,” Satoru murmured, obviously rescuing her from herself, much to Yunho’s silent frustration. “Your experience would seem to support that possibility.”

“He really did save us,” she added softly, her gaze once more landing on Taekwoon with an expression all too close to admiration – or more – for his liking.

“So it seems,” Yunho mumbled with a look between them.

“Have you heard what Gain has to say on the matter?” Satoru asked, looking to the Commander this time. “You mentioned Hero said that she was spearheading the turning attempt under Tiamat’s pressure.”

The Commander scowled and paced quickly in a circle. “She won’t talk to us.” Taekwoon had to fight very hard not to mutter ‘I wonder why’ under his breath. “Anyone really. Or rather, she says she can’t remember much.” He paced again and scrubbed at the back of his neck with one hand. “Which does actually follow how the majority of the dragons feel.”

“Jonghyun explained that most of the time was like he was dreaming,” Taekwoon offered, hoping to be helpful to the gold.

“Fei did too,” Chaerin added, following Taekwoon’s lead without asking.

“And Hero?” Satoru prompted gently, one hand gesturing towards Yunho.

“He remembers slightly more,” the Commander huffed with another frustrated shrug. “But the way he tells it, it’s more like he went into a trance of repetition just trying to outlast them.”

“Do you think Tiamat could have had any effect on their memory?” Jinki asked sincerely.

“It’s impossible to know what effect she had in total so… yes,” Yunho grumbled, clearly unhappy with their session. “The only thing I know for certain is that she does not care for us and, if given the chance, she will likely attempt to kill any and all humans.”

“I wonder if that holds true for those in Tiamat’s Aerie as well,” Jinki wondered aloud, his expression clouded by the possibility.

“It…” Chaerin started to speak, one hand rising up to catch their attention. “Might depend on how powerful my father is.”

“But he is the Bahamut High Priest,” Yunho reminded her flatly.

She simply shrugged in response, her eyes fixed on the table in front of her. “It’s possible there’s a Tiamat High Priest like him, but I know I’ve never seen or heard of them.”

“That is possible, but until we know for sure, we should consider both outcomes as likely,” Satoru instructed, his voice firm and strong but his fingers moved to cover the hidden scars on his left arm.

“Agreed,” Jinki spoke up, throwing his support quickly behind Satoru before Yunho had a chance to speak.

“Ugh,” the Commander groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose. Taekwoon rather thought the pressure of his new position was getting to him. “There is too much we do not know and these sessions are not helping,” he scowled with a shake of his head. “Nor, given this recent debacle,” he added with a toss of his hand as he gestured around the room, “can we trust that everyone is loyal.”

“Commander Yunho!” Aerie Master Jinki stood up in righteous outrage and then flinched when he got the full brunt of the rider’s glare. It very nearly made Taekwoon get up too, but a quick and subtle hand gesture his way made him stay. It couldn’t stop him from seething internally though.

“It’s true!” the Commander snapped, leaning towards Jinki. “We’ve had traitors before.” His words cut sharp and it hurt all the more that he looked at Satoru briefly to drive his point. “And to think we’re actually harboring Kevin’s _daughter_ in our midst without wondering why beyond what she has told us.”

“You don’t trust her,” Jinki murmured in disbelief.

“Of course I don’t!” Yunho answered without hesitation. “And the fact that you do – you _all_ do – so easily is infuriating!” he railed, both hands rising to gesticulate with frustrated energy. He raked the group with one final and scathing glare and threw his hands up. “I’m done.” Surprising most of them, he turned on his heel and began to storm out.

“Where are you going?” Jinki demanded even as he shifted to get as far out of his way as possible.

“To train our Battalion!” he spat over his shoulder. “Let me know if you have actually get any useful information,” he added, voice diminishing quickly as the door cut it off.

Taekwoon, Jinki, and Chaerin exchanged wide-eyed glances and uncertain shrugs. The only one that seemed unphased by the outburst was Satoru and he simply sighed sadly. “Eric used to have moments like that. He was simply better about containing them,” he admitted with a bittersweet smile.

“But he’s wrong,” Jinki couldn’t help but speak up, lips firming with his facial expression.

“This time perhaps,” Satoru nodded in concession, hands lightly clasped in his lap again. “And maybe the next time too. And possibly every time, but the High Dragon Commander’s job is to keep everyone safe and if that means trusting no one implicitly, then he is probably doing his job well. No matter how poorly that makes him appear in our eyes,” he explained with a gentle spread of his hands.

“But Commander Eric was-”

“Far more practiced,” Satoru interrupted, holding Jinki’s eyes as his protégé struggled to come to terms with everything. “You had a rough start but I’m still here,” he explained with a small nod. “Yunho has no one to lean on. And these times are very different from what we had to deal with in our prime,” he added with a look that screamed this was all madness.

“But-” Jinki started to speak before he was cut off once more.

“Now it has been a long meeting and I am tired, so why don’t you all go about your day while you let me take a nap,” Satoru instructed, moving to slowly get to his feet.

Taekwoon watched as Jinki’s expression shifted automatically from concerned Aerie Master to concerned friend. “Of course. You do look a little worn,” he conceded, earning a raised brow from Satoru. “You do,” was the younger man’s quick and easy response. “Do you need-”

“I can make it to my bed, Jinki. Thank you,” he practically laughed and waved off his mentee’s concern. “Why don’t you see your friends out, right?”

“Ah. Yes, sir,” Jinki bowed, standing where he was with his hands nervously clasped in front of him. When Satoru didn’t move and glanced at Taekwoon and Chaerin, only then did Jinki seem to snap out of it enough to respond. “Right! Let’s go. Master Satoru needs his privacy,” he urged, turning to propel both riders out before him.

It amused Taekwoon but Chaerin seemed a bit down about the whole endeavor. She stayed just outside the door and stared at the revealed mural in the foyer. “I’m not like my father,” she promised quietly, eyes seemingly fixated on the image of a priest.

“We know that,” Jinki promised, moving close enough to rest a hand on her shoulder consolingly. “Things are just very tense right now. For everyone,” he consoled her with a gentle voice and a soft expression.

She nodded as if she heard him but then turned her attention to Taekwoon and he felt a tickle of nervousness in his belly. “I was so ready to not like you,” she exhaled with a laugh, shaking her head as if to herself. “And yet… you’ve done more for me than… well, anyone,” she admitted with a shrug, licking her lips quickly. “So thank you,” she whispered breathily, closing the distance between them with quick steps.

Taekwoon had a sudden inclination of what she was going to do but a very tiny part of him – probably his dragon part – wanted to know, so he didn’t immediately react when she grabbed his head in her hands and kissed him. He heard Jinki’s surprised gasp and it registered that this was not just a friendly chaste kiss. With a muted gasp, he grabbed her shoulders and abruptly stepped back to put her at arm’s length, eyes wide. “No,” he pointed with one hand, stepping back again to put further distance between them.

Surprisingly, it seemed as if she may not have meant to do that if the embarrassed flush and reactive cringe were any indication. “Sorry!” she laugh yelped, flailing in place as if she didn’t know how to react before she turned to flee.

They both watched her leave and then Taekwoon turned to Jinki with his hands up and shaking his head. “I didn’t-”

A finger on his lips stopped him and Jinki shook his head. “I know. Just… hmm,” he exhaled, laughing once with a very confused expression on his face. “Tensions are _very_ high right now,” he reiterated as if to convince himself.

“Yes,” Taekwoon hesitantly agreed as he lowered his hands but kept a watchful eye on his other half.

“Okay,” Jinki forced out after inhaling once. “Back to work then!” He gave Taekwoon no choice about it as he grabbed the rider’s hand and tugged him along.

Their group meeting and the incident with Taekwoon and Chaerin notwithstanding, none of their feelings or thoughts about anything that might happen had any immediate effect on the happenings in the Aerie. Under Commander Yunho’s watch, the dragons and riders continued to train as they’d been doing, sessions lasting longer and becoming more intense with the progressing thaw. Under Satoru, Jinki, and Seunghyun’s tutelage, residents continued to practice and prepare for whatever might come to pass as they helped to fortify the walls and defenses of the Aerie. Every other day, they saw another straggler or two seeking sanctuary amongst their walls and it was all Jinki could do especially to not feel bad about what might be coming. He’d warned everyone to the best of his ability and they had seen a handful of departures, but most had opted to stay, come what may. It was just difficult to toe the line of not enough, just enough or overwhelming information that might create a panic.

Since the riders that had been afflicted were still under observation, per Yunho _and_ Hyesung and Mimi’s orders, even though they were awake and feeling better, they mostly tried to stay out of the way and build their strength up again. Unfortunately, they did notice one particular change, though it wasn’t just among their group. The other dragons, the ones that were practicing and whose riders had no general issues with the Tiamat event, appeared to have at least a small problem with a notable handful of their peers. Most obviously, the dragons from Chaerin’s group as well as the newest ones. By extension, their riders also showed some… hesitation in regards to speaking with the recovering riders, though Insoo did remain as personable and professional as always when he did come to check on his wing members.

It took Taekwoon a moment to remember, but he realized they were generally the dragons that had experienced a temporary shift in loyalty during Trance. He couldn’t help but wonder if Yunho and Hero might have had something to do with the shift. But as soon as he made that connection between dragons, another thought occurred to him. “I wonder how Gain is doing.”

_Angry and frustrated,_ was Jonghyun’s almost immediate reply, rather like he’d been waiting for the thought.

_Oh?_ Taekwoon wondered further, pausing in his restless pacing.

_I wouldn’t wish to see her,_ the dragon admitted almost flippantly.

Taekwoon’s eyes narrowed and he snorted once. _That almost sounds like a suggestion._

He got the distinct impression his dragon shrugged in response. _She likes you._

 _She tolerates and teaches me,_ he corrected automatically, though his gaze did drift in the direction of the Paramour’s quarters. He recalled the conversation he’d been privy to a few days ago and he had to wonder if she had remembered anything else from her time in Trance with Tiamat.

_Same difference._ It was a laughable phrase coming from his dragon, but he couldn’t deny that he had been curious about how she was lately. The other dragons seemed to be just fine overall, bonding strongly with their riders, but Gain had no rider with which to connect. Not like they did. Not anymore.

_Fine,_ Taekwoon grumbled, no real heat in the response. He was of the mind that Jonghyun was rightfully intimidated by the gold dragon, but also that he was at least somewhat worried about her. _I’ve got nothing better to do anyway,_ he added in an offhand manner. Truly he didn’t and it was better than simply biding his time, especially since Jinki was busy with his duties as well.

The Paramour’s quarters were unusually busy when Taekwoon arrived. It wasn’t hard to understand why – when things got crazy, people sought reassurance in many ways – but he was surprised that Gain was immediately free. It was Heechul and Hyosung whose schedules were full.

“She’s been a bit on edge since she woke up,” the resident at the desk explained quietly, casting a quick glance in either direction. “Seems like the dragons don’t know what to think of her either,” the young woman added with a helpless shrug, obviously at a loss.

“Thank you,” Taekwoon murmured, not sure what else to say. She nodded once and then gestured for him to go inside. Even before he could see her, he could feel Gain’s conflicted energy. It oozed into the hallway and created a sort of invisible warding wall. Had he merely been wandering, Taekwoon might well have turned around, but since he was actively seeking her out, he pressed past it and stepped into her domain.

Her attention was on him immediately, all dragon and very prickly. Golden eyes blinked once, nictitating lenses peeling back like opening a blurry curtain. In her dragon form, he couldn’t hear her but he could read the body language just fine. Her “What?” was abundantly obvious.

Taekwoon knew he probably should have been unnerved by her. Part of him was, but in comparison to Tiamat, whose presence undeniably overshadowed Gain’s, she was almost like an irritated kitten. Not that he’d ever say it out loud. “We should talk,” he spoke instead, drawing a bit closer but keeping his weight on his toes, just in case.

Gain’s lips peeled back showing long fangs, but there was no accompanying growl. It was more of a grimace than anything else. The gold dragon pushed up from her lying position and paced around the room, making a tight circle with her tail swinging so close that it almost hit Taekwoon. Almost. Circle complete, she sat down on her haunches and wrapped her tail around her front claws, wings pulled tightly against her body. Another question there. “Why?”

There were dozens of answers he could have given. Strangely, the one that surfaced first was not the one he intended to lead with. “Why did you look different in Trance?”

The Paramour blinked and her posture relaxed just a touch. She hadn’t been expecting such a question and her gaze turned introspective as she immediately mulled it over in her mind. Taekwoon let her. Now that he’d asked, he wanted to know himself and he knew she would come around in her own time.

He was not disappointed. Focusing on him once more, she lowered her head near his and huffed. “Come.” Even without the word, the intent was obvious.

Taekwoon fell into Trance with reckless abandon. Maybe she was out of sorts about any number of things, but regardless of what had happened, he realized he still trusted the gold almost implicitly. Despite that, the space he fell into was different from the last time he had been there. It was lighter. Literally as well as figuratively. Gray space had become washed out, like clouds before a gentle rain. And the air itself… tingled? He looked at his hand and saw only a human’s, but it really did feel changed. More akin to when the weather changed between seasons.

“I’m not sure.” Her hesitant words broke his focus and Taekwoon looked up to see Gain in her human form. Physically, she hadn’t changed, but gone was her usual attire. Likewise for her typically teasing demeanor. What remained was a strangely covered woman – loose white robes didn’t match her persona – who seemed… lost for lack of a better word.

“Okay,” Taekwoon answered reflexively, acknowledging her response but not sure what else to say. He turned to face her more fully and held her gaze, ignoring the fact that he himself was embarrassingly unclothed. Trance was certainly being strange lately. “So… what happened?” he asked next, gesturing towards the space around them.

He couldn’t quite help the flush that splashed his neck when she clothed him with a minute gesture – robes like hers – and then folded her arms across her chest. Anger burned in her eyes and she focused it away from him. Taekwoon knew it wasn’t directed at him, but he couldn’t tell if she was angry at herself or someone else. Whatever it was, she didn’t seem like she particularly wanted to talk. He knew that couldn’t be entirely true. She wouldn’t have let him in if she wished for no contact.

Taekwoon opened his mouth to speak but all of the starts seemed to fall short of what he needed to ask. “When the Group Trance meeting turned strange, I didn’t immediately know something was wrong,” he began to explain, taking a step to the side as he worked carefully to choose the right words. He saw Gain turn her head to listen so he continued. “My bond with Jonghyun was fine. Quiet but whole.”

“Forced loyalty,” Gain almost hissed, the words angry and bitter and sad.

“Huh?” he chirped, not sure he’d heard her right.

Gain took a breath and exhaled slowly, loosing some of the tension in her shoulders as she did so. “Forced loyalty,” she repeated, turning to look at him directly. “The bond you and most of the riders share is a magical trapping. Just like the bond I used to share.” Her voice was flat and pained. The bitterness was still there, but it was threaded with old hurts.

“Symbiosis?” Taekwoon asked for clarification. Gain nodded. “I don’t deny that it’s forced, but isn’t it also helpful?”

Her scorn was real when she scoffed at the question. But again, the pain surfaced with it. “And why is it helpful?”

Obviously, she knew the answer to that. He was about to say as much before she glared at him. Equally obviously she wanted him to say it. “Because it gives dragons intelligence.”

“And why do we need intelligence?” Pained bitter anger again.

“Because the dragons lost it after the Dragon Wars.” Her eye twitched at the name and he flinched.

“Why?” she growled, hands balling into fists as she uncrossed her arms.

Again, Taekwoon knew the anger wasn’t directed at him, but it burned all the same. “I don’t know,” he admitted after a long pause. He tried to think of why but… it just was.

She did though. He could see it in her furious golden eyes. “Because the dragon gods were bound.” The sentence was all the more chilling because it had a curious lack of heat in it, like a dead thing being laid out before him. “The dragon gods were bound and we lost what it meant to be a dragon. We became… less.” There it was. The tortured anguish. Her expression broke and she lowered her head as she hugged herself tight.

Taken aback by the news, Taekwoon flinched first and then asked hesitantly, “How do you-”

“She told me,” the gold answered, her voice curiously soft this time. It was little more than a whisper, like she was sharing a secret, but oh so pained in its utterance.

“How can we trust-”

Again, she interrupted him. “She did not lie!” Gold eyes rose up and met his, holding firm this time. “That is why this is so hard.” Taekwoon didn’t ask, but she continued anyway. “Tiamat is my mother. All dragons’ mother. Her words…” She trailed off and looked away, out into the distance where another dragon had been at one point. “They _were_ right, Taekwoon. And that pull… that desire to not be alone. To go home…” she sighed, one hand reaching towards the distance.

Even as he watched her, Taekwoon saw a tear trickle down her face. “But you’re not alone,” he whispered, knowing it to be true. She had an entire Aerie behind her.

Gain laughed once, a broken sound, and her head dipped forward again. “As a dragon, I didn’t know any different.” She took a breath and looked up. “As a rider’s dragon, I was forced to accept her presence. Her intelligence.” She took another breath. “But she gave me her love. Without question. Without limit. Without ever asking for it in return. And so I gave her mine. But then she died.” The dragon turned to look at Taekwoon, her eyes haunted. “She died and left me with a hole in my heart. She didn’t mean to but she took a part of me with her that she couldn’t give back and I have spent my life trying to replace it. To fill it with something else. And you think you do until you know you haven’t because when Tiamat was here… I became whole.”

“Oh.” Taekwoon had no words. He didn’t even know how to respond to what she’d said. All he had was the fear of losing his dragon. The fear of not being whole. But Gain had lived it. For quite some time. He couldn’t even imagine what it would feel like for her. “Gain. I…” he whispered, one hand raising up as if to reach for her.

Gain didn’t respond but she did something she’d never done with him before. She walked over and hugged him. Pressed herself so hard against him it was like she was trying to become one and her arms trembled. He awkwardly wrapped his arms around her in turn and waited to hear what she might have to say. “Yes. I wanted that existence. That wholeness,” she whispered against his chest, the top of her head resting against his shoulder. “And it will forever be my shame that is why I wanted to go with her for even a moment. That is why I was willing to try and turn the others to her.” She moved her head to rest her chin on his chest and look up at Taekwoon, gold eyes meeting brown ones. “Tiamat loves us. Still. Always. Her children. She wants us to come home. To be safe and whole and loved. But,” she sighed, turning her head to rest her ear against his chest again.

“She hates humans,” Taekwoon finished for her.

“Yes. She blames you for our fall. For her imprisonment. For everything bad that has happened,” she almost laughed, pressing her face against his chest then.

“She’s not entirely wrong.” He hated to say it, but she was right. Humans had been the ones to bind the dragon gods. They’d been the ones to start Symbiosis.

“No. But she’s not entirely right either.” Gain took a breath and finally peeled herself away so that she could look at Taekwoon evenly once again. “Humans may be to blame, but not you. Not your riders. Not mine. And as much as I might have wanted what she was offering, I cannot forgive that she was willing to force us all to come back to her.” Gain stepped forward and gently clasped Taekwoon’s face in her hands. “That is almost as bad as what the humans did, once upon a time.”

As she spoke, Taekwoon felt an invisible caress over his body. It teased at his skin and tugged gently, almost playful in its presence. The sensation was so soft and benign, he didn’t even suspect the change that overtook him swiftly. His breath caught in his throat as he fell almost seamlessly into his bronze dragon form with a surprised gasp. With the sudden change, he didn’t even know whether to be scared or angry. They’d skipped right past the fear and panic stage…

Gain caressed his lower jaw and smiled, the expression finally closer to what it should be. “Jonghyun told me about what you experienced last time. I wanted to remind you it can be an easy change,” she winked. “And this way I get to see your new form,” she added with a thoughtful raise of her brow.

Taekwoon looked down, freeing himself from her hands, but couldn’t see what she was talking about immediately. At least not until she conjured a large mirror directly in front of him. He started when he came face to face with his reflection. Pronounced markings around his eyes made him look like he was automatically glaring. His horns reminded him of curved daggers with two smaller prongs near his skull looking like the hilt. And his color was darker with mottled shades of bronze, not so bright and shiny like Gunwoo was.

“It suits you,” Gain hummed with a nod before she stepped back and let her own form flow into her dragon shape.

She made it look graceful, like art. And as she changed, Taekwoon could see her alterations too. Larger eyes with a spaced out row of particularly bright scales just above and below. Horns that curved outward and then back with an additional crescent rising at the front not unlike a halo and crown combined. Her skin gleamed like true gold and her wings shared the same color but faded to almost gossamer at the tips.

_Oh,_ she blinked, actually seeing herself for the first time in the mirror she’d created. _I look…_

 _Beautiful._ Taekwoon flushed as soon as the word left his mouth. He hadn’t meant to say it out loud but it fit.

Her expressive eyes turned coy and lidded as she looked at him. _Are you starting to find me attractive, Taekwoon?_ she teased, though she remained where she was.

_No,_ he retorted instinctively. _I mean yes! I mean…_ he stammered, more than a little flustered.

_Relax,_ she laughed delightedly, hitting him softly with her tail. _You’re right. Beautiful,_ she preened once, looking at herself in the mirror again. She took a breath and turned around to face Taekwoon, finally back to her usual self. More or less. _My guess is that when Tiamat was freed, her power was also freed. That could explain why Trance has changed and why it feels different. She looked different too. Perhaps… this is what we would have looked like if they had not been bound._

 _I wonder,_ Taekwoon whispered, thinking back to the changes he’d seen in the other dragons when Tiamat had been present. The fact they still looked different now did seem to point that something big had changed. Her guess was as good as any.

Gain was speculative for a moment longer before she looked at Taekwoon. Like really looked at him and she smiled. As much as a dragon could anyway. _Okay. That helped. Getting the thoughts out of my head,_ she explained with a nod. _Now… I’ve another dragon to speak with,_ she admitted, her smile fading as a wry twist took over instead.

_Oh?_ Taekwoon prompted, not sure who she was referring to. It couldn’t be his dragons.

She understood his confusion and laughed. _Hero. Much like his rider, he was… too much the last time we tried to speak._

 _Why didn’t you speak to anyone else?_ he wondered in genuine confusion. He was glad he could help but it felt strange that _he,_ of all people, was the one she might speak with first.

Her laugh was bittersweet. _Most of the dragons wouldn’t speak with me so freely. Fei did come,_ she conceded with a nod, _and some of her peers, but they all needed listening ears. Like Jong,_ she teased gently. _And bless Heechul. He wanted to help but… he just wouldn’t understand. He wasn’t there,_ she shrugged, wings shifting under the motion. _Plus, I know all of your secrets so it only seemed right you know one of mine,_ she winked, her usual humor shining through quickly.

_Okay,_ he shifted in place uncertainly, but ultimately accepting of the answer. _At least you didn’t try to kiss me,_ he muttered, thinking of the last time he was one on one with a woman.

_Oh?_ she hummed curiously before understanding dawned of its own accord. _Oh,_ she repeated with a knowing grin. _That’s what she was talking about,_ she chuckled to herself, declining to fill him in about who she was talking about. He thought he knew anyway but it would have been nice for confirmation. _Well, come along then._

 _Huh?_ he blinked in confusion.

_You’re coming with me._

_Where?_

_To speak to Hero._

_I am?_

_Yep,_ she grinned, shoving him out of Trance and coming back to herself with a new vibrancy that belied how she’d been when he first saw her. ‘Come along,’ she ‘said’ as the gold padded for the entrance.

“Why me?” Taekwoon groaned, shaking his head with a muted laugh. It was annoying but… also kind of nice. At least it was something else to do in the meantime. If he was lucky, maybe he’d see Hero get knocked down a peg or two. Who knew?

_That would be fun,_ his dragon interjected mirthfully.

_You’re terrible._

_You thought it first._

_In my mind,_ he defended himself, but couldn’t deny the accusation. If nothing else, it was something to focus on besides the uncertain future. He knew he was trying to find ways to pretend it wasn’t coming, but it was enough for the time being. At least until he could resume training again. If nothing else, maybe it would get them back on more trustworthy terms. Or not. Baham- heavens only knew.


	45. Ripple Effects

Taekwoon was more than happy when he, and the rest of the ground bound riders, were finally allowed to go back to training. When they’d showed no obvious signs of anything out of the ordinary, the Battalion was almost obligated to take them back, if for no other reason than they needed the dragon power. That didn’t mean things were or had been easy though.

Despite Gain’s efforts, her meeting with Hero was less than successful and she had been, as Jinki put it one afternoon, ostracized. The other dragons all had riders to vouch for them and balance each other out. They had reasons to remain loyal and not be otherwise doubted. The Paramour did not. At least obviously, though Taekwoon felt deeply that she would be among the first to defend the Aerie if it came to that. So instead of playing Paramour, she started to wander the Aerie and take scouting trips of her own volition, a choice that made her no friends but probably gave her some peace.

What was worse, outside of the dragons settling their differences for the greater threat, the residents all seemed to have shorter tempers. Master Mimi was experiencing a recent influx of patients with minor injuries from stupid fights within the Aerie. When Taekwoon spoke to Jinki about it, the Aerie Master postulated that it was almost like they were trying to form factions, but because no one really knew what the best approach was, it always fell short. Their loyalty to the Aerie just barely outweighed whatever petty grievances they were dealing with. For now.

The only upside Taekwoon could see was that Commander Yunho seemed to have calmed down a bit since he’d last seen him. Oh, he was still tense and obviously scared of what might happen if is body language was any indication, but it wasn’t as noticeable. When he asked Jinki about it, because the man knew something about everything to do with the Aerie, he wouldn’t say. Of course, that only proved to Taekwoon that _something_ had happened behind the curtain.

And, to be completely fair, Wing Leader Insoo was a breath of fresh air when it came to his wing mates. No matter what the underlying energy was around the Aerie, he treated all those under his command the same. Never mind he was fostering a group of dragons that had been questioned by the majority most recently, he was steadfast in their support and training when they returned to the wing. And heavens bless him, but he had enough understanding to keep Taekwoon and Chaerin separated for the most part.

They hadn’t spoken about what had happened and they were both very good about avoiding each other. Likewise, Fei and Jonghyun had decided to behave similarly and only Jongup was relatively unphased. Mostly. He did get a bit standoffish with Fei for a moment, but that was likely because he was at least slightly connected to Jinki. While Jinki wasn’t saying what he was feeling, it wasn’t so easy to hide such things from a dragon one was bound to, however loosely.

Yet, despite everything that had happened or was going wrong or could go wrong, when Taekwoon was in the air, it almost felt as if everything bad just faded away. Since coming back from the Group Trance, flying felt more invigorating. More real. If he closed his eyes, he could almost imagine he was flying and not just riding Jonghyun. And honestly, dragon jumping had never been easier…

“I know I’ve seen you do it dozens of times but I still can’t believe you actually jump between dragons so easily,” Jungkook laughed during their evening meal one night.

Taekwoon blinked in surprise when he realized the comment was directed at him and shrugged. “It wasn’t always easy. It takes a lot of practice,” he reminded the other rider, glancing at the rest of his wing members before looking down at his half-eaten plate of food.

“I wasn’t under the impression that something as potentially dangerous and unpredictable as jumping between two moving dragons hundreds of feet in the air could ever be considered easy,” Wooyoung commented dryly, a curious look in his eye.

The tone of the conversation made Taekwoon uncomfortable. “Well, maybe not easy exactly,” he amended with a half-hearted shrug. It wasn’t supposed to be but even he could admit that feeling no fear anymore was a little strange.

Seohyun reached across the table and caught his forearm lightly in her hand so that he would look up and meet her eyes. More of the soft heart of the wing, her gaze was slightly concerned as she spoke. “You have been just a little different lately.”

“Not that you’re doing anything wrong,” Jinyoung was quick to defend, his hands rising up in a soothing gesture.

“Far from it! He’s never been more in sync with the wing,” Jungkook chimed in again, apparently suffering from a very mild case of admiration.

“Speaking of that,” Insoo finally murmured inserting himself into the conversation. He turned to focus on Chaerin’s uncharacteristically quiet group. “You’ve all been more in sync lately. Even Ryeowook,” he teased gently, a smile softening the prod.

The mentioned rider ducked his head in pleased embarrassment but it was Chaerin that responded, “It’s probably because we have such a good Wing Leader.” Her tone was light and her expression sincere, but Taekwoon could see… or maybe feel that something was a little off.

“Oh, he’s good alright, but even he can’t work magic,” Wooyoung chuckled with a bemused look at Insoo. Their Wing Leader rolled his eyes and took it in stride.

“Right. That was all you guys,” Jinyoung encouraged, leaning on the table and gesturing at the other riders. An excited look crossed his face and he flailed at the rest of his primary wing. “Do you remember when they first got here?”

“Ugh. Don’t remind me,” Jungkook laughed with a hand on his face.

“They weren’t _that_ bad,” Seohyun defended them quickly, an infectious smile on her face that spread through the rest just as fast.

“I was!” Ryeowook freely admitted, ears scarlet at the admission, but it had the desired effect. Everyone laughed. And then one by one, the rest were pulled into the conversation, leaving the attention off of Taekwoon and his slowly loosening gut.

Insoo stepped away from the table to speak to another Wing Leader briefly, but the conversation carried on without him easily. When he returned, he took a relaxed seat next to Taekwoon, noticeably between him and the other riders, and casually mentioned, “Your dragon’s been showing more lately.”

It was hardly what Taekwoon had been expecting to hear and it made him tense up, the knot returning quickly. “What?” he asked softly, glancing at the others to make sure no one was listening. He saw Insoo doing the same and was grateful the other man was using the ongoing conversation as cover

“On the ground, you’re you,” he explained with a small shrug, one hand gesturing from the cup he was clasping. “But when you fly, and especially when you’re dragon jumping, there’s this shift,” he murmured, mouth quirked to the side and one brow raised. It was like he was trying to figure out the words to say and didn’t quite know how to explain it.

Taekwoon didn’t know how to respond to that. He wasn’t even sure he was expected to, but he was back to being uncomfortable again. What Insoo was talking about matched how he’d been feeling but hadn’t actively noticed. “Shift how?” he asked since he couldn’t figure anything else to follow that with.

Insoo’s soft laugh was strangely comforting. “Not your eyes so much. Hard to see when we’re flying. And I doubt the others notice as much since they’re focusing on what they’re supposed to be doing. I think it’s more the way you move. You mirror Jonghyun,” he explained thoughtfully, rolling the cup between his hands now.

That surprised him. _Do I mirror you?_ he immediately asked his dragon.

Jonghyun was also surprised by the question. _Not sure. Don’t watch you when flying. But…_

His hesitation was strange and it made Taekwoon’s gut clench harder. _But?_ he prompted, glancing at Insoo with a slight nod to let the other man know he’d heard him.

_Mate says you do. And when you jump, you… feel more like a dragon,_ he spoke slowly, apparently piecing together the situation as he talked.

_Oh,_ Taekwoon responded quietly, hands falling to his thighs and gripping hard.

“And?” Insoo nudged, noting the change in demeanor as some kind of answer.

Taekwoon swallowed and took a breath. “My dragon agrees.”

“Thought he might. Just glad to know I was seeing things clearly,” he assured the younger man. “Like Jinyoung said earlier. You’re not doing anything wrong. I just needed to get a better idea of what’s changed. For all of you,” he added, nudging Taekwoon again so he’d follow Insoo’s gaze.

He looked down the table and noticed Chaerin’s wing. They looked completely normal right now. Happy for a change. Laughing with the other wing members. But then he focused on Chaerin. She had been in Trance with him. He knew the others had been drifting in and out as well, but she seemed to have spent more time there. Not unlike him. And… that one moment in Trance, he saw that she had a ghost of a dragon outline as well. “Does she mirror her dragon too?” he asked hesitantly. It seemed almost as if she felt him watching her then, and turned to meet his eyes. She offered a hesitant smile and nod. He responded in kind and her smile grew.

“Yes,” Insoo answered after a slight pause, watching the exchange.

“Do the others?” he continued, looking around the room briefly and then back at Insoo beside him.

“Sometimes,” the Wing Leader confirmed. He took a breath and shrugged as if to himself. “Whatever it is, it’s helping. But,” he started with an amused chuckle, “if you notice any other changes, could you let me know a little earlier next time?”

“I’ll try,” Taekwoon answered without much thought.

“Good. Now finish your food. You know you need to keep your strength up,” Insoo instructed, pointing at the plate in front of Taekwoon before he moved to sit down closer to the other wing.

Taekwoon didn’t want to eat. He wasn’t hungry anymore, but he did because he knew he should. He was more unnerved by the conversation than he cared to admit though. _Why didn’t you tell me I’d changed?_ he asked his dragon, trying not to sound hurt.

Jonghyun didn’t immediately answer and it felt like he was searching for a good response. _Didn’t know,_ was the eventual reply and it fell far short of what Taekwoon wanted to hear. _Didn’t feel wrong. Feels… natural. Right,_ he tried to explain, at a loss.

_But it’s not,_ Taekwoon objected, steadfastly chewing his food.

_No? How do you know?_ was the quick response. _We are different. Maybe is right._

Taekwoon remained silent after that. He didn’t want to be different, but he was. What applied to other riders and their dragons wasn’t guaranteed to apply to him and his dragon. _I just wish I could tell,_ he sighed, taking another tasteless bite of food.

He was glad the wings seemed to be stronger again. And that the rest of the Battalion had apparently come around on trusting _all_ the dragons in their midst. Almost anyway. He still missed Gain’s presence after all. But despite the positive gains, Taekwoon couldn’t quite shake the tension that buried itself in his gut and stayed there. It was an uncomfortable sense of foreboding. Not like he thought he’d feel if Tiamat was coming but it seemed as if something was about to happen. Jonghyun and Jongup felt it too, but neither knew what it meant. Even Jinki felt a bit more on edge than usual.

They all understood why when one of the sentry dragons noticed another dragon incoming. Only, it wasn’t alone. Bugling an alert, the Aerie came to life as the Stardust Battalion members quickly poured out, followed by curious residents. Taekwoon turned his gaze to the sky and saw a white dragon at the fore, flying hard and shimmering in the sunlight. It was carrying something in its claws. It was also being followed by three other dragons, none with riders.

On Commander Yunho’s command, two wings rose up to engage. The others were ordered to take flight and spread out to watch for additional dragons. Taekwoon followed Insoo easily but he kept his eyes on the new dragons. Something was _definitely_ not right. He heard it a moment later.

_Help!_

 _White is being chased,_ Jonghyun spoke just a breath after, confirming what he’d heard himself. Since their bonding, Taekwoon had been able to get a feeling for what other dragons were saying when they roared, but he’d never actually understood them before.

_Hold_ , he urged, scanning the horizon for any other threats. _Other wing will take care of white._ Even as he said it, he could see one wing coalescing around the white dragon while the other moved to confront the three following.

_Wild dragons,_ Jonghyun supplied irritably.

That was surprising. They weren’t known to actively attack dragonriders without cause. The three, two reds and a bronze, roared in frustration and peeled back, almost moving as one. Taekwoon blinked at the aerial display and watched them closer, relatively sure there were no other dragons nearby. Wild dragons didn’t operate as a team.

Hero called out, something that sounded suspiciously like, _Return!_ And then Insoo was giving the signal to go back. Okay. That was weird.

The white dragon was badly wounded and was actually carrying its rider in its claws. The rider was unconscious and also gravely injured so Master Mimi moved immediately to take them away. Hero stepped up to speak with the white dragon and Jonghyun relayed what he could at the same time.

They’d come from Miremaw. Wild dragons, not rogues or formerly bound dragons, had suddenly attacked en masse. His rider was a messenger from Kokoshir. Something was wrong there too but the more immediate concern was Miremaw.

Master Hyesung stepped in as soon as Hero backed up a step and summoned two dragons to help him move the white to a more secure area. Taekwoon’s pulse quickened as he realized the fighting had already begun. His heart literally jumped when he heard Yunho call Insoo’s name along with three other Wing Leaders. “Yes, sir!” they shouted in unison to whatever he’d asked them. Taekwoon had completely missed the question.

“Then go!” he barked. “Support Miremaw. Hoya! Boa! Your wings stay here on the defense. The rest of you! Quick sweep of the surrounding area. Subdue any aggressive dragons and report anything strange immediately. Dismissed!”

Taekwoon’s head was still reeling from his wing actually being called. He knew Yunho didn’t trust them completely so it didn’t immediately make sense for him to send them. With three other wings no less. All far more experienced. Relatively speaking anyway. Contemplation was for another time however.

“Riders! On me!” Insoo called, the summons resonating through the dragons as Gunwoo echoed it. Taekwoon heard the other Wing Leaders make the same call and he was grateful for the dragons’ ability to communicate more directly. It lessened any confusion they might have had.

_We go,_ Jonghyun crowed between their bond, launching himself into the air with the rest of the dragons, moving in tandem with his wing.

For one brief moment, there was this sense of coalesced energy. Taekwoon felt like he was strung between a web of strands linking each dragon to the next. But when they started moving their separate directions, it seemed to pull apart, making his skin tingle and a shiver run up his spine. The sensation unnerved him enough he was briefly pulled from the collective synergy of his wing and he glanced around. He saw Chaerin doing the same thing out of the corner of his eye before he purposefully directed his attention to the receding ground. Eyes darted about, searching.

There!

At once, his world centered again as he met Jinki’s unblinking gaze. His other half smiled in grateful relief and reached out one hand, a motionless wave. Taekwoon reached back and nodded once, a reserved but still warm smile on his own visage. _We go,_ he agreed with his dragon, feeling Jonghyun move beneath him and the direction they were heading in, but he kept his attention focused on Jinki until he couldn’t see him anymore. Even with his dragon sight.

The wings flew out from the Aerie and cleared the edge of the mountaintop. Their passage was almost eerily quiet. No dragon made a sound beyond the flapping of their wings. He didn’t hear it but he could feel the quiet communication happening between the lead dragons. The instructions that had them lining up in a pseudo diamond pattern with Insoo’s wing at the rear. The primary Wing Leader, Shindong, was gesturing to either side of him. He gave instructions to the secondary leaders – Changmin and Taecyeon, and they nodded in understanding. Then he leaned over his dragon to relay another comment and Taekwoon saw Insoo nod as if listening to his dragon. Taekwoon’s belly tightened preemptively.

The wing leaders raised their hands together. Their hands came down. Their dragons dove. Their wings followed effortlessly and they entered a nosedive down the face of the mountain. Rising wind at their backs pushed them faster and Taekwoon leaned close over Jonghyun’s back, squinting hard against the cold air slicing at his face and eyes. Howling wind dominated any other sounds until they leveled out, banking hard, a move that made Taekwoon’s stomach drop like usual.

Screams and roars whispered to them from the city in front, carried on the roaring breezes. Darting dragon bodies danced above Miremaw, diving and rising again. Some fought but most flit through the air, attacking or avoiding as necessary.

_No riders,_ Jonghyun relayed what Taekwoon suspected.

Not Tiamat’s Aerie then. _Rogues?_ He knew the white had said they weren’t but it would be strange otherwise.

 _No,_ his dragon answered, head tilting as a new order came through. _We take far side. Fly over other wings._

 _Understood,_ Taekwoon nodded, glancing at the other members quickly. They were doing the same and he shared a nod with any who met his eyes. His pulse pounded harder when he saw the other wings peel off, diving down to attack the invading dragons with unrivaled skill. The first strike was devastating for its unexpectedness. Surprisingly, Taekwoon felt uncomfortable with it.

_Not real opponents,_ Jonghyun commented with some frustration.

_You’re right,_ Taekwoon agreed. These dragons hadn’t been trained. They did have some degree of wing formation but it didn’t hold and they obviously didn’t know how to respond to a coordinated attack. _More like a slaughter,_ he commented, all the trepid excitement gone.

Surprise thrummed through their bond and Jonghyun alerted, _Rider!_

Looking ahead, Taekwoon saw what had caught his dragon’s eye. _Gain._

This was the last place he’d expected to see her, but there was almost no mistaking the gold. Amidst the other dragons, she was one of many, but the way she moved. How she pivoted in the air and engaged the other dragons… there was no way he would not recognize her. She did not fight as one in a wing. Her attacks were singularly focused and calculated, striking hard and retreating quickly as one who has no support should. But for all her magnificent fury, her opponents recoiled with little more than bruises and thoroughly dazed. And each striking pass took her much lower than needed, her head darting here and there as if she was searching for something.

Instinct said he should go to her immediately. She knew something. He was certain of it. Training demanding he didn’t. Yet. Eyes fixated on Insoo, he saw the hand motions indicating the formation they were supposed to take. He smacked Jonghyun’s back once to make sure he had his attention. _Get Gunwoo._

 _Understood,_ his dragon responded, even as they banked to the left following the signaled order.

Taekwoon itched to go see what Gain was doing. He could tell she had noticed them but her attention was still fixated on another task. That only added to his certainty she knew something he didn’t. Jonghyun flew up hard and fast on the red in their vicinity, but at the last second he pulled up and flared his wings, roaring at the offending creature instead. Caught off guard and outmatched, it balked and stumbled in the air. Long enough for Jongup to come over Jonghyun’s head and pounce on it from above. The pair tumbled down and then parted ways, the red stunned but alive and Jongup unharmed and satisfied.

_Good,_ Taekwoon praised, settling over his dragon’s back once again as they leveled out. He saw Insoo looking at them and then down at the gold below them. His mouth thinned, eyes darting over the group at his command. But then he seemed to come to a decision and he nodded once. A hand gesture at Jinyoung had the copper dragon swinging over to take his place while he gave him a questioning look and then waved him off in turn. Taekwoon flashed him a grateful smile which seemed to surprise the other rider, and then dove hard to get near Gain.

She snapped at a white that was flying too close and scared it off with a glare before swooping so low she could practically touch the tops of the buildings. There were no dragons in her immediate vicinity, but she had to bank and pull up hard when something attacked her from below. Her pained cry struck Taekwoon like a physical attack and he felt a strange wash of rage come over him.

“Humans!” he hissed as they swung over the alley to see for themselves. Armed men had fired upon her with projectile weapons and he wanted nothing more than to go down and… do something to do them for their unwarranted attack against Gain. He felt his dragons agree and was a hairs breadth from doing so until he heard Gain call out to him.

_Wait!_

Her voice was a clarion call and he jerked from his rage with a panicked gasp. Beneath him, Jonghyun faltered for a moment and shook his head as if to clear it. _You okay?_ he asked quickly, not sure what had happened.

He felt Jonghyun’s confirmation even as Gain pulled abreast of them, yanking an arrow from her shoulder. _“Not their fault,”_ she explained, even as Jonghyun relayed her words for him. It was eerie that he understood her so clearly though… _“They’re just protecting their home.”_

Taekwoon could understand that, though it didn’t banish the rage he’d felt at seeing them attack her, a friend and ally. All the same, he nodded and swallowed hard. “What are you doing?” he shouted, knowing she’d hear, even if Jonghyun didn’t relay for him.

_“There’s a dragonling here! The dragons are looking for their child,_ she explained quickly, the pain and yearning obvious in her voice.

“All of them?” he asked in pure surprise.

_“Yes! I’ll explain later! Help me find it!”_

There was no question. Of course he would. _Jong!_

His dragon roared in agreement and sank down even lower. They knew they risked the same fate as Gain but they kept their speed fast and their movement irregular. It didn’t matter that he was obviously a rider. From below, that was not a guaranteed sight. Where? He flinched as a battery of arrows shot up where they’d been a heartbeat before, movement flashing in the corner of his eye. Where would a dragonling be? This was a residential area and he was sure Gain would have scoured the merchant district already. So where? Obviously, it wouldn’t be kept in the open. Not if it was a baby. But who would have a baby? One of the merchants, maybe. But… His eyes landed on the wealthy district to their right. Near the center of the city. Most of the dragons had been pushed to the outskirts of the city, leaving a peculiar opening for them. Larger buildings near the Governor’s mansion rose like miniature castles and Taekwoon briefly resented the wealth needed to build such things.

_I see,_ his dragon nodded in understanding, winging towards the structures automatically.

They had no scent. No pull. No sight. But that had to be where the dragonling was, right? Maybe the Governor’s mansion? Even as the thought crossed his mind, Jonghyun roared in surprise and barrel rolled, flailing in the air when a new volley of arrows came at them from murder holes in one of the buildings. A new pang traveled through the bond and Taekwoon’s head whipped around to see Jongup flailing from an arrow in his side. “Jongup!” he screamed, seething with anger. _They_ would have seen he was a rider. _Get me close,_ he instructed Jonghyun whose anger matched his own.

The two dragons pulled up a bit, giving them space from the ground forces, and then leveled out. Jongup drifted a touch lower and Taekwoon unhooked his riding gear. Gathering his feet under him, he leaned with Jonghyun’s gentle bank and then rolled off as they passed over Jongup. He spread eagled to slow his fall as much as possible and angled himself to land harshly on Jongup’s back, wind briefly knocked from his lungs as he hit on target but hard. Coughing to draw breath, he snapped his gear in place and leaned over to shimmy down the blue hide so he could reach the arrow under the wing. It wasn’t deep, fortunately, but it was embedded. Looked barbed too. “Shards!” he spat, realizing he couldn’t just pull it free. “Brace yourself!” he called, grasping the shaft and holding firm so he could snap it, shortening the length sticking out.

Jongup lurched and faltered briefly before leveling out with a pitiful keen. Jonghyun popped up beside them again, his amber eyes watching them both carefully.

“You go back. We’ll find the dragonling,” he encouraged Jongup, clambering back up to his gear so he could unhook it once more.

_Doesn’t want to._

“Then be a lookout, but get away from the ground,” Taekwoon compromised quickly, waiting for Jonghyun to drift a little lower and closer.

_Mate will._

“Good,” Taekwoon nodded once and hopped without hesitation, landing much easier on the copper dragon’s back. _That house,_ he instructed with a fierce irritation gnawing at him.

_Agreed,_ Jonghyun growled, turning hard and flapping even harder.

Maybe he was wrong, but one of the only reasons a group would shoot at a dragonrider, who was here to help, was because they had something to hide or were afraid for some reason. Neither were good reasons for Taekwoon and though he couldn’t tell if the dragonling was here, something was telling him this was a good place for it.

_Feel it too,_ Jonghyun admitted determinedly as they eyed the structure together.

_Okay. Three floors. Baby is likely on the bottom or basement. Can’t get in because of guards. Thoughts?_ he asked, an idea brewing in his head but he wanted to see if Jonghyun was on the same page.

He was. _Go through the top._

 _Good._ Taekwoon unhooked his gear and carefully crawled down to Jonghyun’s chest, letting the dragon enfold him in his arms protectively.

They lined up on a descending line for the intersection of the top and second floor. _We go!_ Jonghyun roared, ducking his head and tucking his wings tight as they got closer. Taekwoon heard a brief whistle of arrows and felt another pang before Jonghyun crashed into the building, shattering the outer wall and collapsing the third floor under his momentum. People screamed and wood splintered. Taekwoon cringed and gasped, pressed hard against his dragon’s body and the ground.

The pressure was suddenly gone as Jonghyun stood up and roared, flaring wings knocking even more of the structure down around them. Taekwoon shook his head and bounded up in a brief daze. He stumbled to the side before a quick breath steadied him enough to leap up and snatch his sheathed sword from the harness before he got back down and searched for the stairs.

_No time!_ Jonghyun snarled, rising up and then smashing his talons into the floor, breaking through with a surprised look on his face.

As he fell through, Taekwoon ran and jumped down, following his momentum. Jonghyun hit the ground and Taekwoon rolled off his back, tumbling over the ground before planting his feet and rising neatly into a walking stop. His dragon was hurting more than he was but he couldn’t divert his attention. This floor had some sort of armed guards and his dragon was getting antsy. Letting it come to the fore clarified why. There was another dragon here. “It’s here!” he shouted, drawing his sword and sprinting forward. An arrow whizzed by his head as he forward rolled, keeping the blade carefully turned away from him. Rising up, he severed the bow with his sword and knocked the man’s feet out from under him with a quick sweep. Sprinting over the downed opponent, he jumped through a closed door, body shuddering when it held longer than he thought it should, belatedly splintering under his weight. “Ouch,” he groaned stumbling forward.

The sensation faded quickly when he saw it though. The dragonling. Chained in a steel cage. Muzzled and wings bound. Copper too. Taekwoon raged, feeling this could all too easily have been his own dragon. _Jong!_

Jonghyun heard the call and roared, the cry reverberating through the house painfully. Taekwoon’s heart clenched as the dragonling heard and tried to respond, a pitifully strangled sound that escaped the muzzle. Around the room, the guards were starting to come alive to the situation. No city militia, they looked like armed mercenaries. At least four. Tough odds. Regardless, he was mad enough to try it anyway. Taekwoon shook his sword once and stepped forward.

Then the world collapsed around him with a violent roar. He staggered back and rolled away from a falling support beam as a large gold body erupted into the space before him. Gain. She howled with a fury he’d never seen in her before and snagged the cage in one claw. The men still standing, two of them, retreated in terror. Her golden eyes followed for one moment before she looked up, calculating. She called out once, “ _Beware!_ ” and then turned to snag Taekwoon in her other claw before she pivoted and launched herself through the opening she’d created. Her wings broke the structure further and as they climbed into the air, Taekwoon saw the rest of the building slowly collapsing. Jonghyun exacerbated the situation when he also broke through the remains of the building, following on their tail swiftly. Gain climbed further and then roared again, a piercing cry that reverberated through the air and Trance space around them. _Stop!_

By itself, the command was useless. The ostracized Paramour had no such power to order any of them. But… it was enough to draw their attention. And their understanding. Immediately, the wild dragons started heading her way and the Aerie dragons let them. Their riders didn’t automatically know what was happening, and it felt as if some were quite frustrated, but they would know soon enough.

Taekwoon felt more than a little nervous about the sheer number of dragons heading their way, but Gain was soon flanked by Jonghyun and Jongup. It was small support given the odds but their presence reassured him all the same. “ _Keep your dragon,”_ she instructed, the words coming through Jonghyun as well, even though he understood them from the gold.

He nodded once and watched as another gold approached in the front, cautious and angry. But when Gain made no effort to attack or hide the dragonling, it came closer. He. Taekwoon realized this gold was male. And he was very angry, the sensation boiling over as he closed the distance between them. However, it was tempered by relief and joy as he recognized the baby was alive. He bared his fangs at Taekwoon when he noticed Taekwoon, but then tilted his head in brief confusion. Gain huffed and called his attention to herself before extending the cage.

The new gold closed the distance between them with a wary glance around. But as he accepted the cage in both his claws and drew it to him, he looked up and huffed back. _Thank you._ Gain nodded once. The other gold roared and the remaining wild dragons turned as one, flying as their own large wing. Their movements were largely in sync and they had a strange but organized formation as they departed, leaving the dragonrider wings in varying degrees of confusion. As the Aerie wings coalesced around them, Gain eyed the wing leaders and automatically drifted towards Insoo, Taekwoon’s Wing Leader.

Taekwoon looked at Insoo as they got close. Insoo looked surprised and no small amount confused but he did have Gunwoo shift over to let them pass into their midst without question. One brow rose and his lips pursed as he focused on the other wing leaders. With one gesture, he pointed towards the Aerie and they looked at each other, plenty of silent communication taking place between their dragons. It mattered little though. They all agreed in the end and headed back together. The three experienced wings surrounded Insoo’s in a triangle formation, a cautious and wary measure. They in turn surrounded Gain, their posture defensive and protective. Whatever their feelings about her, she was still carrying Taekwoon, one of their wing mates, and she had chosen them to align with. By default, it was almost like they had to play protector to her.

The formation held until they reached the Aerie and then they landed as one in the dragon field, the only space large enough to accommodate all of them. Commander Yunho was among the first to greet them, walking forward with Hero and a critical gaze looking over them. Gain waited for no one as she carefully set Taekwoon down and then proudly stepped forward to confront Hero herself. Hide torn, stained with weeping silver, and speckled with a handful of arrows, she was no less resplendent as she stood at her full height, just taller than the silver before her and spoke.

Again, Jonghyun relayed the information for him, but with his dragon half still in effect, he very clearly understood all of it. _The wild dragons have gained intelligence since Tiamat’s awakening. And they are angry, like Tiamat,_ she explained icily. _What’s worse, Miremaw seems to be in the business of trapping and trading dragonlings._ While the first statement was met with some degree of uncertainty, the second struck a chord and Hero’s head shot back in surprised outrage. _The dragons attacked to reclaim their own. But I can promise you, they are not finished. For too long, the humans have driven them back. Taken their territory. Their food. Their young. Before, they were little more than beasts. Now… they know. They understand. Now, we may need to worry about more than just Tiamat and her Aerie._

 _And you know this…_ Hero trailed off, still at least somewhat suspicious.

Gain merely snorted and leveled a deadpan glare at him, blinking once. He flinched at the expression and then looked up and down her combat marred form. The expression extended around to the other dragons and when Insoo’s wing, followed shortly after by the other three wings, shuffled around her in silent support, he was forced to take a breath. Hero dipped his head in a mute nod and stepped aside, much to Yunho’s obvious surprise. Clearly, he hadn’t been informed yet.

The gold dragon nodded once, a magnanimous gesture if Taekwoon had ever seen one, and calmly walked past him. Though she was injured and probably exhausted, her pace gave no indication of it. She hid her pain well. Taekwoon watched her until she disappeared into the Paramour’s quarters. And then his gaze drifted away, feeling like a spell had been broken. Flitting over the gathered crowd, he was anchored when he saw Jinki, the other man’s expression oh so relieved, if still somewhat worried.

He nodded in Jinki’s direction and got a reciprocal gesture in response. The Aerie Master had a look that said he didn’t understand what was happening but also that he knew Taekwoon would fill him in later. Or at least someone would. _Let my mate know it’ll be alright,_ he urged Jonghyun, knowing the copper would relay the message to Jongup.

_Done._

 _Thank you,_ he smiled, finally banishing his dragon with some effort before he wandered over to rest a hand against his copper’s hide. He saw Insoo look at him with a bemused nod and a shake of his head. Taekwoon shrugged and tried not to think about what today might mean. He was happy… no, satisfied with what he’d done. But he would not say it was a good day. Not like he’d hoped it would be. Not at all.


	46. After Miremaw

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I struggled with an appropriate title. lol I'll admit it's probably not my best. XD

Confusion and uncertainty about what had happened in Miremaw reigned for the next two days, affecting the riders, their dragons, and the residents. Regrettably, the Aerie entered a short period of mourning as well. Two riders and another dragon had been lost, casualties in the finicky luck of combat. None in Insoo’s wings had fallen, fortunately, but Taekwoon did feel a pang of guilt about Jinyoung’s JB suffering a moderate injury to one of his flanks. He was pretty sure the dragon wouldn’t have been injured had he not left his position and had the other copper take his place. But… if he hadn’t, there might have been more losses on both sides. Finding the dragonling and sending it home had been the best option in terms of ending the fighting as quickly as possible. He hadn’t understood it at the time, but Gain had, which did assuage some of his guilt. But not all of it by any means. Especially since he wasn’t the only injury. Just the worst in their wing.

Furthermore, though Jinki and Yunho knew something was brewing in Kokoshir, their immediate concern was handling the crisis that had cropped up on their doorstep, largely without them being aware of it. They sent Jongin and Krystal with Jiho and N as support to get an update as soon as possible. Though she was a black dragon – a particularly questionable color at this time, unlike the other non-Symbiosis bonds, her loyalty had strangely not wavered from her rider. And she had proven herself to be a very adept messenger previously. Times were unpredictable however so Jiho was allowed to accompany them, a boon to the oft sidelined rider and dragon who reveled in the challenge of keeping up with the black.

Taekwoon was not called to the meetings in which the Miremaw events were discussed, but Jinki filled him in on the majority of the details. They’d been focusing too much on preparing for what they knew was coming and paying too much attention to the North instead of also keeping an eye inland. Since there had been a lack of communication between the cities, due in part to the weather, their vigilance had waned to a regrettable point. In a more unnerving concession, Gain speculated that the wild dragons may have actually stopped any messengers from reaching them prior to the white dragon breaking free. Heavens bless their swift natures and the training that allowed them to be faster than their wild counterparts. But her discoveries patrolling the countryside and interacting with the wild dragons gave them more to be worried about. Riderless, she was able to get closer to them and actually converse, further elucidating their growing intelligence from simple beasts to complex thinking and coordinating creatures. And since they did seem to be at least somewhat affected by Tiamat’s temperament, there was no guarantee as to what sort of forces the Aerie would be facing in total.

On a good note however, the white dragon and rider would survive, though the latter was still recovering. Whatever information he had was being closely kept under wraps and even Jinki wasn’t willing to let Taekwoon in on it. His dragon was equally tight lipped. Taekwoon knew because Jonghyun had been sure to try, but other than giving his own name – Hoshi, he would not speak of anything else. Well, nothing important anyway.

As to the matter of the stolen dragonling actually being in Miremaw, Masters Dongwan and Seunghyun were sent down immediately with a seasoned wing to investigate the situation. The Combat Master was obviously meant to be intimidating insurance and Dongwan was very much a master of all things dragons. Short of sending Hyesung, who was busy handling more injuries than he cared to mention, he was one of the best in terms of being able to verify the dragon trade situation. While everyone knew other cities had taken to capturing dragon eggs or dragonlings on occasion, Miremaw had never been one to fall into such a disreputable situation. Most often, nobles or the very well off wanted an exotic pet or their own unique guard for something they considered important, but the city beneath the Aerie knew better. Something must have changed and recently.

With a weary sigh that was just sort of a sob, Jinki collapsed on the bed at the end of an unmistakably long day. “It’s exhausting being Aerie Master,” he groaned, voice muffled by the covers.

Taekwoon gave him a pitying look and set down the riding gear he was inspecting again as he waited. “That bad is it?” he asked softly, shifting from the hard chair to the soft bed as he placed his hand on Jinki’s back.

“Probably worse,” his other half huffed, kicking his feet in brief frustration. Taekwoon started to rub his back in a soothing gesture and waited for him to continue. “Satoru is there to nudge me if I need help but for the most part, it’s up to me to talk to everyone. To puzzle through what’s the root of the problem. To coax information out of people even when they’re not sure. To deal with fraying tempers and not give in to my own…” he practically wailed, lifting his head with tears of frustration evident on his lashes.

“Talk to me,” Taekwoon encouraged, lying down on his side with his head propped on his hand to look at Jinki more evenly, carding his fingers through messy hair with a soft smile.

Jinki sniffed once and exhaled noisily. “To be fair, Yunho has been more tolerable lately.”

“I agree,” Taekwoon echoed with a chuckle. The Commander seemed to have had a slight change of heart regarding Insoo’s wing. Taekwoon had a suspicion their presence at Miremaw had been a test of sorts, but that they’d passed. Whatever that meant.

“It’s just that everyone is worried,” the Aerie Master admitted. “We haven’t heard back from Jongin yet. He probably won’t return for another day or so, depending on how things went in Kokoshir. What we have gotten from Miremaw isn’t encouraging,” he scowled, beating his fists on the pillow once. “The merchant whose house you demolished wanted _us_ to pay him reparations for the damage. That song and dance changed very quickly when Dongwan found further evidence of his dragonling trade efforts. The _building_ was destroyed. Not everything _in_ it. And from what I have heard, Seunghyun had to get involved to get the full story,” he added with a shudder.

Taekwoon did too. If the intimidation didn’t work, that meant his being insurance did… “Was it as bad as we think?”

“Yes,” Jinki grumbled, face turning down as he stared at the covers in front of him. “Apparently, Kokoshir, and other cities, have been seeking additional dragons for support. You know one of the best ways to get their attention and keep them distracted is with bait but if I heard right, they’re also looking for dragonlings in general. I don’t know why,” he answered the unspoken question automatically.

“Is that everything?” Taekwoon gently asked after he waited for a moment to see if Jinki would continue. When his other half gave a plaintive, “No…,” he promptly reached out and pulled the tired man against his chest, giving him something else to bury his face against.

Jinki gave little sniffing breaths for a few moments as he clung to Taekwoon’s shirt. At last, he took another steadying breath and rattled off, “It’s just worrying. Mimi and Hyesung both have expressed they’ve got more to deal with than usual. Their supplies are starting to run low and Miremaw isn’t being as helpful as they could. The Paramours are also overworked and getting frayed. Even Gain, though thank goodness she returned. The dragons have needed an additional outlet because they’ve been feeling different since Tiamat’s awakening and the Miremaw event was not helpful either. Junjin’s giving me grief about food supplies and someone’s been sneaking food from the stores. The runners – Sanghyuk and Joy especially, have been reporting rumors and worrying observations from the riders _and_ residents. Daehyun is certain the whole trade system in the region is on the verge of collapse and Chunji fears relations are deteriorating between us and the others at a rate much faster than they should be. Soohyun can’t keep up with the demands of the Aerie and both Minsoo and Baekho have found themselves with more work than they can handle. Not to mention Shindong is in a foul humor about losing a rider, especially since only Taecyeon lost one too. And everyone is so bloody tired…” he groaned again, curling harder against Taekwoon’s body.

Okay. That was a lot to take in. Taekwoon didn’t say anything until he figured what direction he wanted to approach from. Eventually, he opted for an attempt at levity. “So, did anything good happen or is it all going to shit and I should just say my goodbyes to everyone now?” he asked with a dry laugh, glancing at the top of his other half’s head to see how he’d react.

Jinki barked a laugh and finally turned his face so he could speak more clearly. “It all _feels_ like it’s going to shit,” he admitted, wriggling in place so he could work his arms around Taekwoon’s ribs and hold tight. “But it’s not all bad. The Stardust Battalion has never been in better form and the residents really are as ready as they’re going to be for whatever happens, even if they _are_ ready to start fighting with each other at any provocation. And Kibum and Jolin are both strangely excited about watching and recording history in the making,” he mused dryly, at a loss about how to react to that one.

Taekwoon wouldn’t have known what to do either so he shrugged and tightened his arms. “At least there’s some good then,” he murmured supportively, still mulling over when he wanted to talk about his own concerns. They’d been so busy after Miremaw that they hadn’t had much chance to discuss things and he didn’t want to add to Jinki’s already mountainous stress. He would talk to Gain but she was also inordinately busy. While he didn’t doubt she’d make time for him, he wasn’t sure he wanted to interrupt her newfound acceptance. Nor was he positive he wanted to broach the subject himself. Yet anyway.

_Not scary. Just… dragon,_ was the usual rebuttal.

He and Jonghyun were simply running in circles on that one. _Which is why it was frightening,_ he reminded the copper again.

“Always,” Jinki answered, the response registering a bit later than it should have because Taekwoon was slightly distracted. “Especially this,” he added, finally sounding calmer and less wound up as he relaxed in the rider’s arms, mind at least temporarily unburdened. “What about you, love?” he eventually asked, squeezing harder for a breath. “I can’t tell if you’re tense or just all tight muscle,” he half-laughed, the comment light but still slightly concerned.

If he’d only said the first part, Taekwoon thought he might have answered honestly. But Jinki’s continuation gave him an easy out. “You know me, my heart. I’m always tense,” he laughed, mentally forcing himself to try and relax.

“And always all muscle,” Jinki snorted as if in mild disgust, the sentiment not even remotely true. Taekwoon shrugged in helpless agreement – their training regiments were often brutal and he had a habit of pushing himself anyway. “I can’t do anything about the muscle, but I can think of a thing or two to help with your tension,” his other half added thoughtfully.

“Oh?” Taekwoon prompted, one brow rising as he carefully rolled over so that Jinki was under him, his other half wearing a bemused smile and shaking his head as he did so.

“I was talking about soaking in the heated pools or a massage,” he laughed, only half-serious. There was a particularly playful gleam in his eyes and he wasn’t exactly trying to change his situation.

“Nothing else?” he asked, shifting his weight to help both of them, even as he lowered his head to kiss the tip of Jinki’s nose.

Jinki wrinkled his nose at the attention and then laughed. “Maybe,” he teased coyly, lifting his head enough to kiss Taekwoon’s lips. He pulled away quickly, but when Taekwoon didn’t follow, Jinki raised his brow and kissed him again. This time, he grabbed the rider’s shirt with one hand and pulled him along as they settled on the bed.

A soak in the heated pools or a massage would have been nice too, but this… here he could simply lose himself without reservation. They _both_ could.

And did.

With both Jinki and Gain unavailable for any particular assistance, Taekwoon didn’t have many other places he could turn. There was Satoru but the former Aerie Master was strangely intimidating to a degree, despite - or maybe because of - his unflappable demeanor. Hyesung was busy, and usually grumpy. Minjun would probably be weirdly excited but ultimately have no idea. Insoo would listen but then tell him to go talk to someone else about it and Yunho was an absolutely hard no. What was worse, it was likely that none of them could relate to him. Few could, which gave him only one real option: Chaerin and her kin.

They weren’t difficult to find or to set up a general meeting with but figuring out a suitable location for getting together was a unique challenge. He wasn’t trying to be secret but their possible situation wasn’t one he wanted to broadcast to the Aerie at large. People were nervous enough about them already. And honestly, if he was worried about it, most people would likely just overreact because it was so out of the norm. Nor did he want to start some random rumor they were gathering to do… something in their spare time, even if no one knew what it was they might be talking about. It was already far too easy for people to give them a side eyed look because they weren’t originally of the Aerie, were at least somewhat connected to the Bahamut High Priest (as rumors went), and their dragons had responded questionably during the Tiamat incident.

He managed to convince them to meet in the library, a generally safe enough space where Scribe Master Jolin would keep an eye on things overall. Granted, he had to promise that he’d relay the information through him to Jonghyun who could then talk to their dragons, but it was doable. Especially because Chaerin vouched for him, much to their mutual discomfort. As a group, they settled at a table in the back, still in the open for anyone to notice them, and vice versa, but far enough away for privacy, so long as they kept their voices down. Jolin glanced at them once as they settled in and then nodded to herself.

Taekwoon sat with but slightly apart from the rest as they crowded around a table, pulling two extra chairs over to make enough space for everyone. He made eye contact with Chaerin first, her being to his immediate right and then traveled around the circle of people that had become familiar since they’d joined the Aerie and became a sister wing to his.

Ryeowook hadn’t changed much. A bit sharper and certainly a better rider now, but he still preferred books to people. He was nice enough if a bit of an introvert. His blue dragon Yesung was weird enough for both of them though. At least according to Jonghyun anyway.

The tall and lanky Daniel had finally seemed to fill out a bit with their training regiment. His shorter haircut also gave him a more mature appearance, though his temperament was a bit soft for a fighter. Like Ryeowook, his dragon balanced him out. Eljo was a mulish bronze that seemed to resent he wasn’t the next size category up. Jonghyun always described him as grumpy, if good in a pinch. Jongup just thought he was funny.

Sunhwa and Moonbyul, the two other women riders, sat together at the end of the table watching Taekwoon with interest. Neither seemed like they’d be riders initially, and perhaps had they underwent the Trials like most Aerie riders, they wouldn’t be, as could be said of most present, but like the rest, they had proven themselves in the time they’d been together. Sunhwa tended to rely on her face for getting what she wanted, with varying degrees of success, depending on who she was talking to. She’d been getting better about communicating in general though. Moonbyul had never had that problem and swung from the opposite direction, sometimes butting heads with Chaerin in terms of decisions. Of the two, Taekwoon would say the latter was the stronger rider, and her dragon needed it. Hwasa was a powerful personality, even if she was a black dragon. She made up for her size and color with sheer effort, matching her rider’s drive. Hana on the other hand, complimented her rider as an amiable and somewhat playful copper.

And the last two riders were unique in that their dragons were twins – literally brothers from the same egg. As Hyunseong explained it, he’d been more than surprised, having expected perhaps a silver or gold due to the size. But no, he got two tiny reds instead, Youngmin and Kwangmin. Physically, they looked the same. Mentally, they shared mannerisms but the former was more sunshine and the latter more dusk as Jonghyun explained it. Jeongmin had been in the area almost by chance – though it was true that he’d often spent time at Hyunseong’s home _and_ had been suggested to be in the area during a certain time frame by one of the local priests. Hyunseong was one of the riders Taekwoon believed could have become one naturally. He was built like Insoo, but taller and perhaps a bit more carefree. Jeongmin… not so much. He was nice and had earned his place but as someone who was even smaller than Ryeowook… that alone spoke for itself.

Despite their general lack of prowess, with all their eyes on him, Taekwoon couldn’t help but feel at least a little intimidated. Nor did he really know how to start. “So…” he trailed off, scratching at his hair in a gesture that at least cracked smiles around the group. “Has anyone felt more like a dragon lately?” By the looks he got in return, it was clear no one knew how to respond. Shards. Even he didn’t know how he would have responded, but this was just awkward. Painfully so.

The pairs around the table sort of leaned close to talk to each other first before shifting to speak to either side. Notably, Chaerin did not, her hands wrapped tightly around her forearms and her eyes on the table as she waited. When the chatter fell quiet, Chaerin glanced up at the rest and answered clearly. “Yes.”

“Sometimes,” came the hesitant and uncertain responses, each rider looking at the other as if making sure they were speaking too.

Relief flooded Taekwoon. He’d half expected the response from Chaerin but that the rest of the group was feeling it too… It was a nice, if unpredictable, realization. “We’ve always been a bit like a dragon,” Chaerin started, glancing around the group.

“Some more than others,” Moonbyul commented with a shrug and an almost wistful look at the other woman.

“I wouldn’t say always,” Ryeowook reminded her with a hand rising to catch her attention. “We didn’t start feeling or showing anything until after we connected with our dragons.”

“Not bonding like Symbiosis,” Chaerin clarified quickly, leaning forward to catch Taekwoon’s eye.

“No. It was more like a growing relationship,” Jeongmin sighed with a bittersweet smile at Hyunseong.

“The more we got to know our dragons and the more they accepted us, the closer we felt,” Hyunseong followed, sharing the look with the man next to him.

“At the time, it was nice,” Moonbyul commented with a wry twist of her mouth, fingertips tracing the top of the table absently.

“But now…” Daniel trailed off, a grimace tugging at his full lips.

“It’s strong, isn’t it?” Taekwoon asked, chewing on the inside of his lip.

“Yes,” Chaerin agreed again, her voice soft but still clearly audible.

“What do you think it means?” Daniel asked, glancing at the people around the table.

“It doesn’t have to mean anything,” Sunhwa finally spoke up with a shrug. She grabbed a strand of brunette hair and started twirling it when people looked at her, but continued, “It’s not like anything bad is happening because of it. We’re just different.”

Taekwoon didn’t know whether to hold his tongue or not. He knew he was different, but unlike what they were apparently feeling, his situation was not so simple. “Maybe not bad,” Chaerin started hesitantly as she carefully avoided looking at Taekwoon, “but also not always wanted.”

“Oh?” Ryeowook asked, leaning closer. “Other than Jungsu, you’ve always had one of the stronger connections with your dragon. Are you feeling something different?” he prompted, one hand rising to rest on her shoulder supportively.

She nodded once and glanced around the group. “You know how we’ve always explained that you feel dragon connections and brief sensations and I feel like I have an actual dragon in me?” she started, waiting for the accompanying nods. “Well… mine makes me feel things I don’t think I should or do things I wouldn’t normally do,” she explained, glancing very quickly at Taekwoon before looking at the rest again.

“Mine too,” Taekwoon admitted hesitantly. His mouth twisted distastefully and he grimaced. “It started before Tiamat awoke. When I was first bound and unbalanced. It’s gotten… stronger since then, but more focused.”

“That would explain your mood swings,” Moonbyul commented as she leaned close to Daniel.

Taekwoon snorted once as he heard Jonghyun’s message. “His dragon resents that.” Daniel laughed and the shadow that had crossed his face dissipated quickly.

“I’ll never get over how you can talk to your dragon so easily,” Jeongmin sighed, clearly wishing he had such a connection.

“Well, that’s largely because he actually has a part of his dragon in him and vice versa,” Ryeowook reminded them. “What? Was I the only one reading up on Symbiosis?” he questioned when the others looked at him.

“Probably,” Sunhwa teased as she wrinkled her nose at him. “But the bigger question is why Chaerin, and Jungsu for that matter,” she added flippantly since Ryeowook had already mentioned him once, “are so much stronger with their connections.”

“I’ve actually been thinking about that,” Ryeowook commented, one hand rising up again as if to draw their attention. “My mother was fine with the dragon so long as we kept receiving money and help to take care of it, but she had no particular draw towards it.”

“Same,” Hyunseong offered with an agreeing nod from Jeongmin.

“Us too,” Moonbyul added with a nod at Sunhwa who was mutely agreeing in turn.

“Yep,” Daniel concurred, shrugging helplessly.

Hearing their answers, Taekwoon looked to Chaerin to see her wearing a particularly uncomfortable expression on her face. “My mother adored Fei,” she murmured quietly. “She helped me get close to her…”

“If he’s older than we think he is, it’s possible Kevin is also your mother’s father,” he explained gently, to which Chaerin shuddered violently.

“Seriously?” Moonbyul demanded in outrage, one fist hitting the table hard. It was a sentiment Taekwoon shared.

“Think about it,” Ryeowook urged, raising both hands to soothe the group. “As far as we know, the High Priest has been trying to gain power. We don’t know for how long, but my guess is that there’s a limit. An inferior form can only be improved so much, but if something is made _with_ that power in it already…” he explained, hands spreading out in front of him so they could fill in the pieces.

“Or shared,” Taekwoon almost whispered, his gaze uncertain as he looked at Chaerin again. He didn’t know what her truth was, but what they discussed was possible and he would not wish that on her.

“Right!” Ryeowook exclaimed, eager to shift focus for the moment. “Your Symbiosis is reversed so you have more of a dragon in you instead of the other way around.”

“That’s probably why Jonghyun is even rougher around the edges than Eljo,” Sunhwa laughed, obviously teasing Daniel again.

_Am not,_ Jonghyun immediately defended.

_She just means you’re more dragon than the others,_ Taekwoon clarified with an amused smile.

_That is good!_ he defended himself quickly.

_If you say so,_ his rider laughed.

_It is,_ he grumbled, fading quietly into the backdrop again.

“And probably a good part of why I react like a dragon sometimes,” Taekwoon admitted with a sigh, resting his hands on the table. “At Miremaw, the guards – I think – attacked Gain and my only thought became rage against _humans_.”

“Oh wow,” Daniel blinked, fiddling with his hands on the table. “Eljo’s made me snappy a couple times, but never like that.”

“I don’t know what it means, but this is happening only after Tiamat has awoken. I think we’re all pretty sure she’ll be coming here eventually and heavens only know what will change if Bahamut comes around too…” he exhaled, running fingers through his hair reflexively.

“Well, I imagine we should all just be aware and be careful,” Ryeowook encouraged with a brave face. “Especially you two,” he added seriously, pointing between Chaerin and Taekwoon.

They jerked in mild surprise and exchanged quick glances. “That goes without saying,” Chaerin said at the same time Taekwoon responded, “Of course.” She rolled her eyes, he made a face, and the rest of the group chuckled or laughed.

Still, it was nice to know that he wasn’t the only one experiencing these kinds of things. They didn’t have all the answers by any means, but there was a shared sense of camaraderie now. He was connected to them by more than just forced wing arrangements. And they him. Not to mention he’d learned a bit more about all of them as well. If a war was on the horizon, it was best you knew who you were going to be fighting with. Or so Seunghyun always insisted.

As a group, they lingered for a bit longer while their conversation drifted to more normal topics. Well, Taekwoon lingered and listened while they talked but it wasn’t time poorly spent. Jonghyun caught him up on the dragons’ reactions in that interim. And eventually it was time to head off to the next event in the schedule: more wing practice in the afternoon marks.

Eventually though, night came and Taekwoon could finally return home, clean and with a full belly but cold from the trek across the Aerie. He wasn’t entirely surprised to find Jinki waiting for him in their room. They exchanged easy greetings and normal platitudes and then Taekwoon felt the shift. He’d been waiting for it in fact.

“So, I heard you had a meeting in the library today,” he commented meaningfully with a sidelong look at his other half.

Taekwoon’s lips curved into a small but bemused smile and he nodded in confirmation. He would have put money on Jolin telling him or Jinki finding out somehow or other – one of the runners was also a good bet. They were sneaky little buggers sometimes. “I did,” he agreed, patting Jinki’s thigh reassuringly.

“And?” his other half prompted with a snort.

“I have quite a bit to tell you,” he promised, leaning close to kiss Jinki’s cheek reassuringly before he started talking.


	47. Three Priorities

Though Taekwoon was pleased with how things were working out on his end, more or less, that wasn’t to say that everything else was. Late in the next day, everyone was called to the dining hall for an Aerie meeting. Considering that Jinki hadn’t said much about it to Taekwoon, it made him at least a little concerned, especially since their conversation the previous night had gone as well as he could have hoped. Watching him now, standing at the front dais as Aerie Master with Commander Yunho on one side, Combat Master Seunghyun on the other, and Satoru off in the wings didn’t make him feel particularly reassured.

It took Jinki a moment to start speaking, his throat moving with each obvious swallow. That was not usually a good sign. But eventually he did manage to begin, after a gentle nudge from Seunghyun to get him going. “Members of the Aerie,” he called out, voice trembling just a touch.

_Is Jongup helping?_ he asked his dragon, hoping he was.

_Trying. Your mate very worried,_ was the ominous response.

Jinki seemed to realize his weak front was not reassuring and he took a breath before forcing a smile to his face. It helped. A little. “First, I want to commend all of you for the hard work you’ve put in around the Aerie. Our Stardust Battalion,” he started, gesturing at Commander Yunho first and then extending the attention to the riders present in the hall, “have been training exceptionally hard and your efforts proved well spent in the most recent attack on Miremaw.” Yunho bowed politely and nodded at the riders in turn, all of whom mirrored his gesture, belatedly or otherwise.

“This also includes the efforts of the Aerie residents as well,” Jinki continued, a tired but proud – and genuine – smile replacing the forced once. “With Master Seunghyun’s guidance, you have all become so much more than just residents of the Aerie. You have become her defenders as well.” It was Seunghyun’s turn to bow, directing his attention to the general residents first before swinging around to the riders in turn. His acknowledgement was met with a weak cheer of gratitude. The residents appreciated the comment but it was clear they didn’t know if this was a cheering situation. Taekwoon couldn’t blame them. It didn’t feel like one to him.

“As your Aerie Master, you have my deepest thanks,” Jinki spoke into the slow quiet, bowing in turn. It was that, more than anything else, that made the rest of the room fall silent. He stood upright and looked over to the side where Taekwoon figured Satoru was resting. Jinki’s gaze dropped to the floor and his hands tightened into loose fists before he looked up again. “I am grateful. Truly. But with that being said, I fear that the time may be coming in which we need you to show us what you’ve learned.”

A collective gasp echoed through the hall and everyone tried to speak at the same time, worried voices clamoring to be heard first. _Do you know anything about this?_ he had to ask.

_First for me. Mate can’t hear like me. Your mate not say,_ came the confused response.

Wing Leader Insoo shuffled over and leaned close enough to whisper into Taekwoon’s ear, “Don’t suppose you’ve heard anything about this?”

He shook his head in denial. “No more than you,” Taekwoon promised with a shrug, glancing at the other man once before he resumed his focus on his other half. Jinki was waiting for the furor to calm down so he could begin speaking again, but he was pale. It bothered him that Jinki had been able to keep this so well hidden from him. Of course he’d done the same previously, but this felt… bigger.

When at last the crowd quieted on their own, Jinki took another breath and started speaking again, his gaze roaming over the dragonrider section briefly before focusing on the group as a whole again. “The rider we helped save during the Miremaw battle brought us ill news. Just today, Jongin and Jiho brought similarly poor tidings. Likewise, the situation with the wild dragons has grown more complicated as well.” He stopped to take a deep breath and looked at both Seunghyun and Yunho. They nodded briefly, letting him continue, though they shifted uncomfortably beside him. “To begin – the capitol. Jongin and Seungcheol, the injured rider in our care, have both confirmed that Kokoshir has recently been besieged by forces from Fantor and Marsh Rest. Much is unknown at present, but Samut does not appear to be involved and Miremaw…’s position,” he hesitated at the last moment, “is still being reviewed.”

“If Kokoshir is being threatened, isn’t it our duty to go to their aid?” Wing Leader Taecyeon asked loudly, glancing at the riders around him for confirmation.

“That is a good question,” Jinki conceded as he clasped his hands together in front of him. “I will let Commander Yunho answer it,” he added, taking a partial step back to get out of the immediate focus.

“Yes. Our duty is to go to Kokoshir’s aid,” Yunho confirmed, nodding his head and looking at the riders. “But our duty is also to the rest of Kinshire. And Talongrace. And the residents here,” he reminded everyone, exhaling once in a subtle sign of his frustration. “Kokoshir is besieged by ground forces mostly, troops coming from Fantor and Marsh Rest. However, Jiho was able to confirm that there are dragon wings set against them as well. Some had riders and others did not. Kokoshir does not have strong dragon support save for the formerly bound they are able to keep on hand.”

“So how many wings will you send?” Wing Leader Shindong asked in a disgruntled tone.

“Let me finish,” the Commander responded sternly, eyeing the other man before he took another small breath. “We will send help to Kokoshir, but we have also received troubling word from Talongrace about movement in Bondsland.” Taekwoon’s stomach twisted into a tight knot and he felt the same trepidation from his dragon. “As you know, we always maintain a scout at the edge and they’ve heard of considerable dragon movement on the island. Not just Tiamat’s Aerie but also wild dragons and the continent appears to be in chaos.”

“Isn’t that a good thing for us?” someone in the crowd asked. It was obvious they didn’t understand the implications.

Both Yunho and Seunghyun shook their heads. The former answered, “It is not. The wild dragons are attacking the people, much like we saw with Miremaw but on a vastly larger scale. The Dawnstar Battalion and…” he hesitated glancing at his companions first. They nodded in quiet agreement and he sighed. “Tiamat appears to be flying with them.”

Loud gasps echoed through the hall this time, fear and disbelief warring evenly. One of the residents cried out, “How do you know it’s Tiamat?!”

Taekwoon could understand their lack of comprehension. Without a dragon, none would have seen that terrible figure in Trance. And he doubted even Commander Yunho knew the true size of her, but Hero would have undoubtedly explained. Which was why his grim expression was no surprise. Neither was his answer. “It is impossible to see her and not know who or what she is,” he stated simply, worry edging its way into his voice.

Seeing Yunho begin to falter, or perhaps buckle under his own uncertainty, Combat Master Seunghyun stepped edged forward and motioned with his hands for quiet. For anyone else, it might well have been a futile effort, and for a moment it was. But when his expression turned disappointed and critical, and people began to notice, silence fell quickly. Out of those present, Seunghyun had the greatest direct impact on the majority of the Aerie and everyone knew it was best not to raise his ire. “As Commander Yunho explained, we will be sending wings to Kokoshir. We will also be sending wings to Talongrace.” A worried murmuring started up again in light of what had already been said, and he raised one brow to quell the commotion once more. “Our primary concern is and always will be the Aerie itself, which is why we will be keeping riders here as well.” This time the murmuring rose up from the riders themselves and Seunghyun took a breath and nodded once. “Yes. Your numbers will be spread thin but the goal on the northern front is not going to be to counter and defeat. Not immediately,” he assured them in a calm tone, very much like he was teaching them in the training hall on any given day.

Commander Yunho stepped up again at a nod from Seunghyun. Composure regained, he projected calm command as he continued the explanation. “In Kokoshir, the goal is to secure the city and make sure the King and royal family remains safe. Our forces will be there to support those already in place and counter any other wings or dragons in the area. In Talongrace, your task will simply be to defend the city and help prepare them for the incoming force.” He hesitated as his eyes glazed over with the ‘talking to his dragon look.’

It made Taekwoon nervous. _Jong?_

 _Maybe not know what to say. Dragons might attack city to destroy or to just stop. Not sure how much Tiamat will affect us,_ he admitted quietly, uncomfortable with the words.

_Ah,_ Taekwoon responded,

Yunho’s next words did not confirm that dilemma but they did reveal an uncomfortable truth. “If the force heading our way is what we think it is, Talongrace will not stand much chance even with our help.” A pall fell over the gathered people. The pained expression on Jinki’s face – heavens knew he couldn’t keep a false façade when he wasn’t the center of attention - echoed what many of them were obviously starting to feel or understand. “As it stands, when – not if – the Dawnstar Battalion moves beyond Talongrace, Bahamut’s Aerie will likely be their first target. That is why we must also keep riders here to protect the _people_ of the Aerie.”

He barely managed to get the rest of his sentence out before frightened commotion broke out amongst the hall once again. Even though they’d been warned ahead of time, it had suddenly become all too real. The riders were antsy about it. Agitated even, but the fear and uncertainty from the residents became almost suffocating. It made Taekwoon mad that they hadn’t really considered what Jinki’s previous message might mean. It also bothered him, more than he wanted to admit, that their fear was almost strictly for themselves – not the riders and the dragons that would be going out to do what they could to protect everyone else…

There was also little he could do to help Jinki in that moment. His other half looked so lost, swamped by the reality of his situation of the task of finding a way to control and direct the new mob in front of him. His sight and other senses sharpened to the point that it almost hurt being in the middle of so much chaos doing nothing. The dragon part of him absolutely itched to run up and set himself between Jinki and the others. To provide some kind of defense against the madness, but Insoo pulled at his human half with undeniable intent.

“Come on,” the Wing Leader instructed, physically grabbing his arm and pulling him along, moving with the exiting group of riders.

Taekwoon blinked as if suddenly coming back to himself, the dragon in him quieting enough to focus on other persons again. “Oh,” he gasped, taking a breath. He could see Yunho gesturing for them to keep moving while Seunghyun remained with Jinki, a silent pillar of immovable strength and an imposing wall to blunt the swell of fear against.

When they exited the dining hall, the dragons were milling in the open space around the Aerie, agitation evident in every twitching wing and tail. Well, almost every dragon. Notably, Hero was suspiciously calm and steady, his silver eyes surveying the collective before him. But… he couldn’t entirely ignore the copper dragon planted almost directly in front of him, mirroring his pose, with a less than still blue dragon at his side.

Taekwoon’s mouth quirked into an involuntary smirk. _Show off._

 _He started it,_ was the quick reply, though it was unusually somber this time. The usual trace of amusement was gone, its absence belying the seriousness of the situation they were currently facing.

Notably, Gunwoo had settled near Jonghyun and was apparently waiting for whatever announcement was going to happen. To be fair, a great many of the probable Wing Leader dragons were in attentive positions, but the rest had been unable to contain their energies, mirroring a fair bit of what their riders probably felt.

Still being guided by Insoo, Taekwoon ended up next to his dragons with the wing leader on the other side close to his own. The rest of the riders that had exited the hall found their way to their winged brethren in turn, loosely clustered in familiar wings, and waited for Yunho to give them the rest of the news. The Commander took his place beside Hero and inhaled deeply once before he addressed them. “As you heard, we have three priorities.” He held up one finger. “Help Kokoshir and safeguard the royal family.” Another finger rose to join it. “Assist Talongrace in whatever capacity we can.” His third finger rose. “Protect the people of the Aerie.”

“Not the Aerie?” Wing Leader Taeyang asked to clarify, echoing what many of them had already been thinking.

Yunho shook his head once. “We will protect the Aerie as best we can but our main focus is the people. The Aerie can be repaired or rebuilt. Lost lives cannot be returned,” he reminded them firmly, his expression dour. It was enough to silence the riders, and they fell into their own thoughts at the slight admonition. “Given the situation, I will be appointing two of you to lead in my stead. Wing Leader Taecyeon will lead the flight to assist Kokoshir. You will be taking four additional wings with you,” Yunho instructed, directing his attention to the tall rider who stood even straighter at being singled out.

“Yes, sir!” he nodded once in acknowledgement and bowed slightly before looking at his dragon and sharing another small nod.

Satisfied with the response, Yunho continued, “Wing Leader Taeyang. You will remain at the Aerie to defend her against whatever forces might come to bear.” The shorter rider looked as if he was about to argue for a moment, face clouding over, but the Commander’s eyes narrowed and he subsided. “When the Dawnstar Battalion comes, you must be ready,” he added, face softening a touch. At the reminder that Tiamat’s forces would be heading to them as well, Taeyang’s demeanor shifted. He nodded slowly and bowed, expression conflicted. Taekwoon remembered he had been among the wing to return that had lost members in the last foray to the north.

“Yes, sir,” he murmured in verbal acknowledgement before turning his focus inward. It was clear he was speaking with his dragon.

“Seven wings will remain here with you to safeguard our home. We must be wary of the wild dragons as much as Tiamat’s forces so you will need to be on your guard. I will not be here to lead you,” he reminded them somberly. “I will be taking the remaining wings and heading towards Talongrace. As we don’t know what the Dawnstar Battalion’s intention will be – destruction or domination,” he clarified with both hands, “we will work under the assumption of the latter first but be prepared for the former. Our task is not to stop their forces but to harry and delay and reduce them as much as possible before they reach our home.”

“Which wings will be accompanying us?” Taecyeon called out, glancing around those gathered.

“We will discuss that in private,” the Commander responded. “There are many things to consider and we only have a limited number of dragons and riders,” he explained, face heavy with the reality of the situation. “Know that you will have an answer by this evening.”

“Thank you, sir,” the wing leader bowed and relaxed, stepping back to converse with his dragon again.

Commander Yunho nodded in acknowledgement before gesturing for Taecyeon and Taeyang to join him as they headed for the spire and the Commander’s quarters. Taekwoon watched them go with a heavy ball sitting in the pit of his stomach. “Where do you think we’ll be going?” he asked aloud, not sure who he was questioning: his dragon or his wing leader. The latter answered first though.

“I’m not sure, though I have my suspicions,” he admitted with a glance outward. Taekwoon followed his gaze and saw that he was looking at Chaerin’s group. But then he focused on Taekwoon and his face tightened a touch. “Whichever place we end up, I need you to be sure you’ve got a handle on your dragon,” he stated simply, lips pressed together tightly.

For a moment, Taekwoon was confused and he glanced at Jonghyun. Then it dawned on him and he grimaced. “Ah,” he grunted in understanding, flexing his fingers into fists and relaxing them quickly. “ _That_ dragon,” he murmured, making a face.

“Yes. That one,” Insoo agreed with a breathy exhale. “He’s been much more active since Tiamat’s awakening. What that portends, I don’t know.”

“I don’t either,” Taekwoon admitted in tired frustration. “But I won’t fail you,” he promised determinedly, meeting the other man’s gaze head on.

“Good,” Insoo nodded once with a smile, his expression lightening almost instantly. “Now go check your gear. We’ll likely be heading out at first light.” His gaze turned up and he added, “No point in trying to fly in the dark when the wild dragons may attack at any time.” Against the backdrop of the night sky, flying dragons would be much easier to spot from the ground, making them prime targets for any waiting below.

Taekwoon knew he was right, but that didn’t make him feel any better. He placed a hand on Jonghyun’s shoulder, though he didn’t know if it was for his sake or his dragon’s. The great copper head came down and nudged him lightly, reassuring in his own way. They didn’t speak, even in Trance, but they knew without words how the other felt. And that was enough for the moment. Nodding as if to himself, Taekwoon stepped away and followed the steady stream of riders making their way towards their individual sleeping quarters. Likely they would be inspecting their gear in turn.

_Will let you know if we hear something,_ Jonghyun promised as Taekwoon wandered away.

_Thanks,_ he responded quickly, thoughts turning towards whatever the morrow might bring. Not combat immediately – they weren’t close enough for it, unless wild dragons intervened, but likely travel of some kind. He half hoped he wouldn’t be among the wings remaining in the Aerie – waiting was always the worst part, but part of him wouldn’t mind either. Jinki was in the Aerie after all. Conflicted by the possibilities, he settled in their shared room and painstakingly went over his riding gear one more time.

It was late when he finally heard Jinki return. While he didn’t know what time it was, Taekwoon knew he’d been fighting sleep for a while. He did have the small pleasure of watching the surprise flicker over Jinki’s face as his other half tried to come in quietly only to realize Taekwoon was still awake. “You should be asleep,” he admonished with a tired smile.

“So should you,” Taekwoon tossed back, shifting to make more room on the bed.

Jinki nodded in mute agreement and wandered over to plop down on the soft surface, leaning his head against Taekwoon’s shoulder immediately. He didn’t say anything at first and though Taekwoon wanted to ask, the rider knew his other half would speak in due time. If he didn’t fall asleep first anyway… He needn’t have worried though. Jinki reached down to grab Taekwoon’s hand and held it between both of his, for support or comfort, and finally spoke, “I heard you’re being sent to Kokoshir.”

“Yeah,” Taekwoon sighed, mixed feelings swirling in his belly. “Jonghyun told me.”

“It’s selfish but I don’t want you to go,” Jinki admitted with a sigh, fingers tightening with worry. Taekwoon remained silent, torn between the same feeling and not. Most of the time, action was better than inaction, but in this case… “I was actually surprised when Yunho gave me an answer when I asked him why,” he laughed once, lightly sniffing.

“Oh?” Taekwoon encouraged, turning his head to press his lips against Jinki’s hair.

“He can’t send Insoo’s wing north. Not with Chaerin’s group. He doesn’t know how their dragons will react around Tiamat. And you know it’s quite bad to switch wings up this close to any sort of major combat,” he exhaled and swallowed hard. “It’s also why he doesn’t want Insoo’s wing staying. When Tiamat gets here…” he trailed off, voice tightening as his throat seemed to close.

“Hey,” Taekwoon soothed, freeing his hand so he could wrap his arms around Jinki tightly. “None of that now,” he chided gently, fighting similar feelings himself. “You know it’s bad to think about all the what ifs before battle too,” he reminded his other half, as much as himself.

“Sorry,” Jinki sniffed, pressing his face hard against Taekwoon’s chest. “I just feel so… powerless,” he admitted. “I mean, I’m supposed to be the Aerie Master and I can’t do anything to protect it,” he added, voice cracking.

Taekwoon winced and had to fight back the tears that threatened him in response. “That’s because protecting the Aerie, and the people in it, is _our_ job,” he reminded his other half. “No matter who’s here, they will do everything they can to protect you and the people here.” He ran a soothing hand up and down the other man’s back and rocked him gently. “Our job is protection, but your job, my heart, is to give the people here hope.”

Jinki laughed once, a broken sound, but he nodded. “Yes, but it’s hard to hope when you know what you’re up against,” he admitted, the pained sound cutting through Taekwoon like a sword.

That’s right. He had seen Bahamut’s size and knew the actual scale of what they would be facing when they went against Tiamat. It was a terrifying thought. Truly. But… there was nothing to be done about it. Either they had to find a way to counter her or… the alternative was not worth thinking about. “As long as we’re alive, there’s hope,” he offered uncertainly, not sure if it would be helpful.

At least his other half nodded. “That is true,” he murmured softly, fingers tightening to cling to the back of Taekwoon’s shirt.

“So for now, just do what you do best,” he encouraged, running his hand up and down Jinki’s back again. “Keep making plans for everything and be prepared for anything. It’s what you always try to do anyway,” he chuckled, the sound forced but no less genuine for the feelings behind it.

The laugh that escaped this time was real, if a bit emotional. “Then you had better do what you do best. Fight and win and come back to me in one piece,” he grumbled, hugging the rider hard around the waist.

“Of course,” Taekwoon snorted. “Jonghyun and Jongup agree. We’ll rescue that good for nothing King and come back to save the day,” he added gallantly, full of false bravado.

“Good,” Jinki laughed once, playing along. Even if it was a bit of a fantasy, it was something they could both cling to. Again, the alternative was not worth thinking about. Not right now. In this moment, they needed hope and something to place against the very real threat of despair. And that was how they spent their night. Secure in each other’s arms and clinging to the fragile creature that was hope.


	48. Kokoshir

Taekwoon was wrong. Gathering in the courtyard as he prepared to leave with the other dragons that would be departing for Talongrace and Kokoshir, he found himself not wanting to go. Inaction might have been worse than doing something, but in that moment, before the light of the sun had even graced the horizon, the only thing he wanted to do was stay with the man that had come to see him – them – off. Taekwoon took one last look at Jonghyun’s and Jongup’s gear, tugging on straps and snugging ties, before he stepped back with a breathy sigh. He was grateful for the hand on his shoulder and the words that followed.

“I know you’ll be fine,” Jinki murmured softly, his free hand finding Taekwoon’s and threading their fingers together.

“As will you,” Taekwoon urged, turning to face him better so he could caress the other man’s cheek with his unclaimed hand.

“Just… be careful, love,” he whispered, meeting the rider’s eyes in the lessening gloom.

“I will, my heart,” the dragonrider promised, stepping close enough to press his lips against Jinki’s forehead. As expected, his other half moved further into his arms and embraced him hard. Taekwoon took a deep breath and simply tried to memorize the feel of his other half, glancing around the crowded space as he did so. He was not the only one saying temporary farewells to residents of the Aerie either. A couple dragonriders were parting ways too, their wings moving in different directions. The dragons were restless and the remaining riders were antsy, feeding into the growing nervousness of the day.

It was all too soon when Taekwoon heard Taecyeon call out, “Kokoshir riders. Time to mount up!” Yunho would not be far behind as they readied themselves for the journey to Talongrace.

Jinki’s arms tightened around him and Taekwoon smiled sadly. “I’ve gotta go, my heart.”

“I know,” Jinki mumbled against his shoulder, not quite ready to let go.

Gently but firmly, Taekwoon grabbed his shoulders and pushed him away so they could see each other again. “I will come back to you. I promise,” he soothed, drawing near to kiss him on the mouth this time.

“You better,” Jinki laughed once as they pulled apart enough to rest their foreheads together. “Heavens watch over you,” he breathed, kissing the other man firmly before stepping back of his own accord.

Jinki’s hand escaped his before he could really hold tight and Taekwoon’s heart sank before the smile on his other half’s face lifted it once more. “And you,” he called, nodding once as he turned and hurried over to Jonghyun. He wasn’t the last rider getting settled, but it was a near thing. He found Taecyeon mounted on his silver dragon and signaled he was ready, looking at Insoo to confirm the same thing.

Wing Leader Taecyeon had one final look around and then nodded to himself. He raised his fist in the air and called out, “Riders! Take to the sky!” His silver dragon bellowed an accompanying cry before leaping into the air with a powerful beat of his wings.

Taekwoon felt the cry. He understood it as if Jonghyun had told him and his blood sang with the urge to get into the air. The muscles beneath him bunched and then the copper followed suit, jerking his rider in the harness before climbing doggedly into the air. Torn between freedom and a fear that was not his own, he looked back one more time and reached a hand towards Jinki. His other half reached up and took a step in his direction before stopping and simply staring after him.

_Maybe should stay,_ Jonghyun rumbled thoughtfully, falling into place like he was supposed to with his wing all the same.

_You know why we can’t,_ Taekwoon reminded him, though he knew his dragon was only voicing what he himself already felt.

_Will face her sometime,_ the copper reminded him with a shrug and a glance at his own mate. Jongup seemed to nod in agreement as well, keeping pace beside them easily.

_True, but until then… we’ve a kingdom to save,_ he practically grumbled. He was perturbed the rumors had turned out to be true. Unrest was not so uncommon. Especially when things got harder than normal, but that Fantor and Marsh Rest had decided to actually attempt to take over Kokoshir spoke of more than just unrest. It was honestly one of the last things they needed. If war with the dragons – some dragons anyway – was coming, then they would need everyone’s help. This almost felt like a fool’s errand, but there was nothing to be done for it except to go. As the Stardust Battalion, this was part of the duty. Few in numbers they might be, but they would not fail.

The pace they set was fast but not hard. A siege by its nature should last for a while, especially since it was the capitol city that was being attacked, and they needed to be at least somewhat ready when they arrived. If they rushed and exhausted themselves before reaching their destination, they would be of little help to anyone. Granted, a single day probably wouldn’t be enough to wipe out their reserves but given they didn’t know what trouble they would be getting into, it was safer not to risk it.

In the meantime, the harder part was finding suitable locations to take a breather for the dragons that had water and space enough for all of them. The riders could eat and drink in their harnesses just fine, but their flying companions had no such luxury. Three times they paused, landing near a river or a lake or a pond, but always they kept a lookout in the sky, rotating them so that all dragons had a chance to rest. They did see several wild dragons in the distance, and there was no doubt they saw the flying wings too, but none drew close. Their numbers were not large, but with their new intelligence, the dragons would know that attacking such a group as theirs would likely be folly.

On their final stop, they divvied up watch duties, giving each wing a turn so that the others might have an equal amount of rest. Dragons had better vision than humans, especially at night, and while it wasn’t likely they would be attacked, it was also not something any of them wanted to risk. But sleep was hard to find for Taekwoon. He was troubled by too many things…

Troubled by his own restlessness, which he attributed in part to his dragon half. Troubled by the possibility of their sister wing turning on them due to Tiamat’s influence. Troubled about the timing of the siege on Kokoshir. Troubled about leaving Jinki alone in the Aerie…

_Mate not alone,_ his dragon reminded him pointedly, eyes closed as if he was sleeping but quite obviously not.

Taekwoon frowned and shifted against his dragon’s side. _Well, I’m not there._

 _True. But Gain is. Combat Master. Other dragons. Safer than us right now,_ he almost laughed, his side expanding to bounce his rider once.

_For now,_ Taekwoon sighed, feeling that worry gnaw on him. He didn’t know how long this battle would take. They were only five wings – hardly enough to break a siege definitively – but they should be able to at least shift the tide. Even so, he did not wish to be stuck here if the worst came to pass – that the Dawnstar Battalion and Tiamat would attack the Aerie before he had returned. It was only a matter of time but… how much?

_Sleep now, rider. Will know more tomorrow,_ Jonghyun reminded him impatiently.

_But-_

Jonghyun snorted and wrapped his tail around to press against Taekwoon’s belly, practically knocking the wind out of him. The flash of cringing surprise indicated he had not meant to hit him as hard as he did. _Situation not change, but can think better when we know more after we see,_ he explained, softening his hold so that the tail acted as a very awkward embrace…?

Taekwoon made a face even as he rested his hand on the tail over his lap. _For a dragon, you don’t give half bad advice,_ he laughed once, taking a breath and forcing himself to relax a bit more.

_Rider thinks too much,_ the copper responded with a mental shrug. _Now and the next day important. Later, maybe important. Won’t know until tomorrow. You worry and make self tired. Make me tired. Bad for both of us. So sleep,_ Jonghyun instructed again, relaxing his wing so that it could fall over Taekwoon, further darkening the area.

While he could have considered the tail and wing a cage or trap of some sort, Taekwoon imagined them more as shields. In his own way, his dragon seemed to be trying to protect him. It made him realize how far they’d come together and his chest briefly felt tight. “Thank you, Jong,” he whispered, petting the smooth tail again before he leaned his head back and took a deep breath, willing himself to sleep as he exhaled slowly.

Taekwoon wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting the situation at Kokoshir to look like, but he wasn’t really ready for the reality. Firstly, the city was large, several times the size of the Aerie in fact. And it was completely enclosed by a massive wall of worked stone, keeping the attackers out for the moment. Secondly, it was absolutely full of buildings. The castle was the largest structure rising high above everything else in the midst of the sprawl, but there were plenty of other structures rising above the height of the city walls. In that, they reminded Taekwoon of the buildings in Miremaw…

Beyond the mere appearance of the city, the countryside around it was changed too. Most of the land nearby had been cleared for what was left of crop fields and livestock. There were trees but they were a fair distance from the city itself, giving them an unblocked view of what they were up against. Circling the city from a distance in the midmorning light, they could all see that the city was almost completely surrounded. It looked as if the whole of Fantor and Marsh Rest had been emptied to throw themselves against the great walls that surrounded the capitol. In the sky, dragons danced, a dangerous but beautiful combat performance. It was impossible to tell who was who though for most did not have riders.

_Who are the wild dragons and who are the formerly bound?_ he wondered, hoping his dragon might offer a response.

_Won’t know until we get closer,_ was the not so reassuring response. _Hold,_ he practically chirped as Taecyeon held up his hand to draw their attention. _Wing Leader speak. Dragon speak._

 _Understood,_ Taekwoon nodded, splitting his attention between the city and the sound of Taecyeon’s voice in the distance, bolstered by his dragon’s stronger delivery. Again, he heard the words as if Jonghyun was telling him and it slightly unnerved him that he’d become so proficient in listening to dragonspeak…

Taecyeon explained that they were going to have to split their forces to cover more ground initially. This far out, they couldn’t get an accurate understanding of what was happening so two wings would skim the outer forces, getting a general count for artillery and defenses. Taecyeon’s wing would head for the castle to get an update on the King and royal family. Another wing would fly perimeter to see what the Kokoshir forces and defenses were like. And Insoo’s wing – double the strength of a standard wing – would take to the sky to get a feel for dragon numbers and opposition. When his dragon finished speaking, Taecyeon signaled for them to break apart, trusting them to know best how to approach their assigned position.

Insoo signaled his riders closer so they could hear, filling in the blanks for Chaerin’s group especially. “We’ve got the skies above Kokoshir,” he called out, making sure the newest riders could hear him. “Stay together. No heroics. This is a testing run to see their strengths and weaknesses. We don’t know which ones are on our side so be careful,” he reminded them, looking around the group to make sure everyone was listening. “Understood?!” he shouted, waiting for the response.

“Yes, sir!” came the unanimous response from human throats. A chorus of dragon cries rose up in response and Insoo grinned. The expression faded quickly, but nothing could banish the feeling of togetherness and exhilaration they carried with them as he raised his fist and signaled them forward.

Taekwoon’s blood thrummed with the possibility of combat and his skin tingled. He knew his dragon was close to the surface now, hungry for a fight. The fire in his belly faded a bit when they drew close enough to see the ground noticeably changed beneath them. Trees had been broken and uprooted, the ground torn and outer buildings demolished, but equally unmissable were the bodies… He didn’t know how long they’d been fighting for exactly but there were already a fair number of dead lying strewn around the field, both human and dragon alike.

_That will not be us,_ Jonghyun promised fiercely as he felt Taekwoon’s uncertainty and discomfit.

_No. It won’t,_ he echoed, a new kind of knot forming in his stomach. He’d been in plenty of skirmishes, mostly practice, but this was new. This was… war. And he found he didn’t like it. His human side didn’t anyway. His dragon was still hungry… Taekwoon shivered as they headed into the heart of it.

The first foray was frantic and dangerous. Most of the dragons in the air were wild. Unpredictable and undisciplined, they were difficult to react to. Insoo’s primary wing held fast, secure in their training and unshakable in their trust. His secondary wing suffered from the fast paced and fear inducing environment. They started falling apart almost immediately when harried by wilds, panic in their eyes and heads swiveling instead of relying on their dragons. Their unraveling only invited more attention as the wilds seemed to smell or sense their weakness.

Insoo noticed almost immediately and changed their formation mid-flight. Jonghyun moved almost effortlessly as he followed the wing’s lead and flew to encircle their own, creating a buffer to defend their allies. Jongup flew low guard and Taeyeon had upper, warning of surprise attacks from either direction. Solidified and grounded once more, the dual wings provided an intimidating front that allowed them to pass through like a battering ram. At a cry from above, the wings split in half, veering out like a school of fish as a blue careened through the open space they’d been in. Another cry for the all clear had them moving back seamlessly. Mostly. The newcomers were jittery. So was Insoo’s wing. They were just better at hiding it.

Relying on Jonghyun to keep them in formation, Taekwoon kept a constant watch, counting dragons and riders alike as he could. They kept moving and mixing with each other so it was difficult to get an accurate number, but he could safely say there were upwards of thirty or more wilds flitting around, not counting the ones already hounding the city itself. Looking at the ground, it was probable there were dragons hiding in the woods or nearby as well. What was more troubling were the dragons with riders – about three wings worth. Those were staying well away from them… but they were being left alone by the wild dragons. Obviously, they weren’t part of Kokoshir’s defenses, but unless they were mercenary groups of formerly bound dragons, he didn’t know where they would have come from.

_Rider. Fei says one is familiar,_ Jonghyun explained, jarring Taekwoon from his speculation.

_The dragons or riders?_ he asked to clarify.

_Both,_ was the unwanted response.

Focusing his attention on the riders again, Taekwoon let his dragon rise up to sharpen his vision. It took a moment to settle on the relatively stationary figures – his attention kept trying to follow closer targets, but when he realized who it was, he gasped, feeling like he’d been punched in the gut. “Jungsu,” he breathed, his eye twitching at the discovery. Two of them would likely be the riders who had defected with him, but the others…

His stomach dropped when they heard dual cries from above and below and Jonghyun banked hard, throwing them out of formation but also out of harm’s way as a group of dragons tried to pincer them from both directions. Fear thrummed as a dragon and rider cried out and started to plummet from the sky. One of theirs! Taekwoon’s heightened senses picked up on the falling dragon and it felt almost like things had slowed down – a copper but not Jinyoung’s. A woman’s. Sunhwa’s dragon!

In mutual agreement, Jonghyun simply continued his banking turn into an upside down nose dive. Across from him, he could see Jinyoung doing the same, following procedure. His focus was solely on catching up to the flailing copper, mostly oblivious to any other dragons. _Jong,_ Taekwoon urged, as he nudged his dragon to move closer.

_Understood,_ the copper responded effortlessly, swerving gracefully to flank Jinyoung as Jongup fell into place on the other side. A beast of a bronze tried swooping in from the side and Jonghyun tensed, waiting for the right moment. Taekwoon clung tight and hunkered low as he realized what his dragon was going to do. His stomach still clenched when the copper swiftly leveled out, opened one wing just enough to cup the air, and spun impossibly fast just beneath the bronze. The creature howled in fear and pain as the spinning claw strike nearly gutted it, raking down the unprotected belly.

Taekwoon didn’t see where it went as they were moving past it already. He got a jolt when Jongup tangled with a red, practically colliding in midair, and then they were moving by them too. Jinyoung had caught up to Hana, and JB had a hold of her, but he was struggling to get them to level out. Her dead weight wasn’t helping and it was going to be a rough landing if he couldn’t pull up more. _Get under her!_ he called to his dragon, undoing his harness and grabbing his riding hooks, just in case.

_Hold on!_ Jonghyun cried out, the call for his rider and JB both.

Taekwoon’s heart jumped into his throat as he got a stomach turning view of the ground rising up to meet him. He flinched and clung tighter when Jonghyun lurched under the weight of the dragon above him. His dragon groaned at the strain on his outstretched wings. Taekwoon cringed and closed one eye as the buildings felt all too close. And then they were pulling away and up. Trepidation set in when he could see soldiers below, watchful eyes peering up and weapons at the ready. Oh heavens please let them realize they were on their side…

_We are good,_ Jonghyun told him, talons moving close to help secure Taekwoon as he clambered back to his harness.

Looking up, he could see they really were. JB had leveled out and was carrying Hana by himself now. JB gave the signal they were good and Taekwoon took it as a sign to return to Insoo. Jongup fell into place beside them as they flew and they made their way back to their returning wing. Even after he was back in his position, it felt like his heart would never slow down and he couldn’t help but cast another look at Jungsu as they made efforts to land in the city. He could have sworn the rider had made some kind of signal just before they’d been attacked. He might have been imagining things, but… in these times, he wouldn’t put anything down as impossible right now.

Their first introduction to Kokoshir was anything but encouraging. Jinyoung was able to get Hana to help within the city, but her condition was not good. One of her wings had been savaged and she’d suffered strike wounds on her other side. It looked like the dragons had been aiming for Sunhwa by the position of the claw marks. While she stayed with her dragon, the rest of Insoo’s wing converged in the same space under the watchful eyes of the city guards.

“Good job with that rescue,” Insoo congratulated once he’d checked on Hana himself.

Jinyoung and Taekwoon ducked their heads in acknowledgement and gestured at their dragons. “They did all the work.”

“True,” the wing leader nodded with a weak smile. “But you helped guide them.” He turned to look at the rest of his charges and gave them encouraging nods in turn. “Well done. All of you.”

Chaerin’s group was still shaken and even the more seasoned hands seemed paler than usual, but they had done well, all things considered. None had broken rank other than those that should have. They would have needed a few more dragons to catch Hana had the smaller sizes moved to help instead.

Insoo’s attention shifted to the sky and he squinted against the sun, trying to make sense of everything. The attacking dragons were mostly maintaining their distance in the sky but the other Stardust Battalion wings were missing, which meant they were either still on their respective runs or they’d already landed. “Well. Let’s go find our companions,” Insoo urged with a determined sigh. He moved to speak to the nearest guards and see what information they could glean about the location of the other riders.

It took longer than it probably should have, but after they all managed to reconvene within the safety of the walls, once they’d gotten clearance from the city guards and such, they could go over what they knew. Two severely wounded dragons – one from a different wing – and numerous smaller injuries had left a stark impression on all of them. The riders were shaken but mostly unharmed. Unfortunately, those were the very least of their problems.

“The King and his family are safe, but the city is only at about half-strength,” Taecyeon admitted with a heavy sigh. “Talongrace requested aid in light of scouting reports they’d had from Bondsland and they sent their entire cavalry force as one of the only ones that might get there in time. We’ve still got foot soldiers and archers but next to no skirmishers.” Not that it would matter all that much. The skirmishers would have been no good from within the city walls and getting out to get into position would have been pretty impossible at the moment anyway.

“Fantor’s got some ballistae in their ranks and Marsh Rest is constructing a battering ram to try and break down the gate,” one of the other wing leaders explained with a heavy sigh.

The secondary wing leader added, “And their forces are ready for a long haul. They’ve got plenty of wagon supplies and plenty of men to guard them and attack the city at the same time. I think they really did send their entire forces,” he scowled, thoroughly annoyed.

“Our allies are a bit thin but secure for the moment. The walls are strong and that’s their saving grace really,” the final wing leader offered, scratching at his stubbly face. “Plenty of murder holes to hide in and they’ve got a fair bit of burning oil stockpiled to keep the gates clear for now. And with a large chunk of their forces gone, supplies will last a bit longer, but the bigger problem are the bloody dragons,” he grumbled, casting a look up. “They’ve hardly got any formers here and no mercenaries on their side,” he added with some confusion.

“We estimate the wilds to be at least thirty strong, if not more, and there are at least three full wings with riders to be counted in their number,” Insoo added with a grimace. “The wilds are also acting more coordinated than expected, even given their newly gained intelligence,” he admitted with an uncertain shake of his head. “Never seen em strike as a pack before. Not like that,” he frowned, glancing over at Chaerin’s group. Sunhwa was notably absent as she would not leave her dragon’s side.

“We’ve flown right into Tiamat’s maw haven’t we?” Taecyeon laughed bitterly, arms crossed over his chest and expression dour. He freed one hand to rub at his chin, obviously thinking. “Kokoshir has held the walls for this long. Our focus will continue to be countering the dragons in the air. For now, riders, take a rest. Wing Leaders with me. We shall confer with the King to discuss our best plan of action,” he continued, waving at the four other men to follow him.

_Rider,_ Jonghyun nudged gently, prompting Taekwoon to look up to see what his dragon wanted him to see. Chaerin was looking at him like she wanted him to say something. She nodded at the departing Insoo and gestured at him as if it was supposed to be obvious.

“Oh, shards,” he grumbled under his breath, making a face. Rolling his eyes once, he nodded in understanding and then shook his head as he spoke to Jonghyun, _Could you let Gunwoo know Jungsu is in the wing of dragon riders? Oh!_ he gasped, suddenly recalling something. _Ask about Yongguk too. Mate would want to know,_ he added by way of explanation for his sudden inspiration.

 _Of course,_ his dragon huffed in amusement, more for the latter comment than the former. _Why she not say?_ he asked after pausing for a moment to deliver the messages.

_Probably because it might be suspicious if she did,_ he explained with a grimace.

_Why? Is she not wing mate now?_ his dragon wondered, clearly confused.

Taekwoon couldn’t blame him. They’d sent her out here with the rest of the riders which should mean they trusted her and the others, but… in this, she might be too close to the situation. After all, Jungsu had been in their group before they’d gone their separate ways. _Humans… think too much,_ was all he could offer his dragon, knowing it was insufficient but it was also enough. Strangely. Jonghyun snorted at the answer and gave the impression of irritation. _Same, Jong,_ he admitted with a heavy sigh. _Same._


	49. Breaking the Siege - Part I

Unfortunately for the riders, their break was relatively short. It did not take long for the wing leaders to return with new instructions and ill tidings. As the acting Captain, Taecyeon confidently took the fore to explain. “Good news first. We’ve been given leave to handle the situation as we see fit. The guards have been instructed to provide whatever assistance they can and we are to make sure our insignias are visible at all times.” While that was cause for some degree of celebration, none of the riders reacted, waiting for the other foot to fall.

“The bad news is everything else,” Taecyeon scowled with a frustrated exhale. “There is no surviving coordinating flight master and the Commander they do have has little experience with working with dragons. The mercenaries they _did_ have either switched sides or died in the first exchanges and there are only a handful of loyal formers left. Some are still in the air and the others are either resting or recovering from sustained injuries. We won’t be coordinating with them since we’ll be taking their place and they’ll be worrying about the ground forces outside. Now, I’ll let Doojoon explain the next part,” he started, gesturing at one of the wing leaders that surveyed the outer walls earlier.

The tall rider stepped forward and nodded in understanding. “Our priority first and foremost will be to cull the numbers of dragons in the air,” he explained, gesturing above them where swooping beasts of varied colors weaved patterns in the sky. “They are wary of the archers in the city and so don’t risk coming low during the day, but at night they make surprise attacks on the buildings. That’s how the flight master was lost in fact,” he explained with a resigned shrug. “The formers will take evening duty for us so we won’t have to patrol at night so that’s something. We also know about the three wings in the air with riders and we won’t worry about them yet. Not until they show their hand. For now, the wilds are our concern. Once we’ve taken care of that problem, we can better assess what the riders are doing and whose side they’re on.”

“To that end, we’ll split the groups into two teams. Doojoon and Dongwoo with me. Insoo’s wing counts as two. You’ll need to designate another leader. And Kan will be with you as well,” Taecyeon explained, glancing around the gathering to make sure everyone understood. When no one objected or had anything else to say, he nodded in satisfaction and went on, “We’ll take the first flight. Try to stay low and see if we can’t draw them down into the archers’ range. If not, we at least want to make sure they can’t do another pincer attack from above and below.” He nodded at Insoo and Kan first before he gestured for Doojoon and Dongwoo to follow him.

“Okay,” Kan spoke first, glancing at Insoo to make sure they were on the same page. “Our job is to rest and be ready to provide support if and when something happens. They’ll let us know when it’s time to switch out and we’ll go from there. I’ll leave the wing leader situation to you, Soo,” he nodded and then moved off to speak with his wing directly.

As Insoo approached them, Taekwoon felt his stomach knotting and he didn’t exactly know why. _Gunwoo unhappy,_ his dragon informed him before the wing leader started speaking.

“The situation could be better. We are outnumbered and as a whole, we are lacking the training needed to better our odds,” he explained realistically, making sure he didn’t focus on anyone for too long. The comment was clearly aimed at the newest members, but he was doing his best to stay neutral. “That being said, we are all still members of the Stardust Battalion, which means we’ll just have to be a little more careful,” he pointed out solemnly. “Jinyoung. I’m putting you in charge of the new wing. You’ve got the experience and you’ve seen me do it enough to make the tough calls you might have to.”

Jinyoung seemed surprised by the promotion, his face paling slightly at being singled out. But he didn’t refute it and simply took a quick breath. “Understood.”

“Chaerin. You’ll remain with your group. Normally, with a gold, you’d be the wing leader, but you don’t have the experience. Watch Jinyoung and maybe you will be one day,” he told her firmly before his attention drifted. His gaze settled on Daniel. “You’ll take Jinyoung’s place in our wing. A bronze for a copper.”

Daniel practically blanched at the change and he looked at his group with wide eyes. “Y-yes, sir,” he stammered, ducking his head at the betrayal of his tongue. Nearby, Eljo shifted uncertainly, peering at the rest of the dragons that would soon be his wing mates.

“I would arrange us differently if we had the time, but right now… it’s too close to actual combat,” Insoo admitted with a grimace. “Just remember your training. Trust each other. And follow your Wing Leader,” he instructed sincerely. His attention shifted slightly to the regular Aerie members and he added in a somber voice, “This will be the toughest fight of your lives. Our lives,” he added belatedly. “But this is part of what we signed up for. Stay strong, and may Bahamut watch over you all,” he finished, stepping back to signal he was done but staying close in case anyone wanted to speak with him.

Taekwoon very much did, but he waited to make sure no one else needed to see the other man first. Only when the way was clear did he drift close, realizing quickly that Insoo was apparently expecting him. “What news do you have?” Taekwoon asked softly, the knot in his belly still there.

It hardened further when Insoo looked down with a sigh. “Apparently, Yongguk was the latest flight coordinator the King was talking about. He was sleeping in one of the buildings that a wild managed to collapse. He didn’t make it,” the rider admitted with an aggrieved expression.

The knot in his gut twisted and Taekwoon gasped, more for Jinki’s sake than his own. “That’s… unfortunate,” he murmured, at a loss about what else to say.

“Yes. It is. I know Jinki was hoping he’d come back and help take over when all this was finished,” Insoo said, shaking his head. “He wasn’t the only loss but… he was one of ours.”

Taekwoon pursed his lips and shook his head as if to clear it. It was upsetting but now was not the time to mourn. They had larger concerns, though he couldn’t shake the dread the other man’s unexpected death conjured in him. “And what of Jungsu?” he asked with a poorly concealed shudder. Not for the rider, but Insoo at least appeared to understand.

“Like Taecyeon said, we’ll leave him be for now. If anything changes though…” he trailed off, looking at Taekwoon intently. “I want you watching him. You’ve got the eyes and the instinct. If you see something happening, let me know. Don’t try to act on your own,” he stated firmly, one finger in front of Taekwoon’s nose.

“Yes, sir,” Taekwoon snorted, though even he couldn’t admit that the warning was at least partially necessary. _Hear that, Jong?_ he called to his dragon.

_Yes. But must we wait? Could just say rider is doing something…_ he hinted in the least subtle tone possible.

_Terrible,_ his rider retorted with a roll of his eyes.

_You want to,_ the copper grumbled, knowing his rider’s deepest inclinations.

_At least I have the grace not to say it,_ he scoffed, the humor fading swiftly. _Besides, I think we’ll have more than enough to worry about without creating more troubles for ourselves this time,_ he added, glancing up to follow the dragons launching into the air for their first run.

Jonghyun noticeably grumbled through their bond and sighed. _Maybe right._

“Taekwoon?” Insoo asked cautiously when the other rider chuckled at the comment.

He quickly waved off Insoo’s concern with a shake of his head. “Just talking to my dragon,” he promised. “He’ll- We’ll beha- good,” he finished awkwardly, stumbling over his words in a strange cross talk sentence.

His Wing Leader gave him a raised brow look before bursting into a weak bemused laugh. “Get your head straight, rider,” he commanded gently, smacking the younger man on the shoulder as he moved to walk past him and check in with the other wing members.

“Good idea,” Taekwoon sighed as he bit at his bottom lip. The sound of dragons calling out above them made him look up again and he couldn’t help the worry that gnawed at his gut once more.

“What did he say about Jungsu?” a familiar and not unexpected voice asked at his shoulder.

Taekwoon turned to look at the obviously tense Chaerin and shook his head. “We’re just supposed to keep an eye on him. If he stays where he is, we’re fine, but if something changes…” he trailed off, leaving it to her to fill in the blanks.

“But what if he’s…” she hesitated, teeth digging into her bottom lip as she struggled with whatever she was going to say.

“What?” Taekwoon prompted, tilting his head to the side.

“Different,” she finished, brow furrowed and expression worried. “He _feels_ different,” she admitted, shaking her head. “A lot could have happened in the moons since we parted,” she explained, licking her lips. “And I find it extremely odd that Fantor was the city he fled to prior to them turning against Kokoshir.”

There was that. It was something that had crossed Taekwoon’s mind too, but he had nothing more to go on. Definitely a thought. Just an inconclusive one. “The timing feels strange too,” he admitted, voicing the concern he’d only mentioned to his dragon. “Why attack Kokoshir now with the Dawnbringer Battalion and Tiamat on the move?”

“Could be they don’t know,” she offered, though her voice was weak, as if she didn’t believe her reasoning herself.

A darker thought occurred to Taekwoon and he remembered one of Jinki’s worries. “Is it possible that the riders with him are from Tiamat’s Aerie?” he asked cautiously, keeping his voice low to make sure the sound didn’t carry. Chaerin’s eyes widened at the thought and she opened her mouth as if to speak but stopped, frowning. “I only ask because Jinki mentioned once that there had been word of more riders than usual in Fantor. Unknown riders,” he added with an uncertain shake of his head. “At least I’m pretty sure he was the one that told me that…” he trailed off, briefly doubting himself because it just felt so far fetched.

_Mate agrees. Yours did say that,_ Jonghyun confirmed, allaying Taekwoon’s immediate concern.

“When did you hear about this?” Chaerin asked, mildly confused.

“Before the winter moons. Like I said, he didn’t make a fuss about it. I think he was overwhelmed at the time,” Taekwoon shrugged, not looking directly at the other woman.

“I thought Aerie Masters were supposed to be discreet,” she murmured with a bemused expression and a raised brow.

Taekwoon glared at her then, annoyed at the comment. “He’s my mate. Of course we can share certain things,” he grumbled, though the words felt slightly hollow. Heavens knew they’d kept some things from the other even with their relationship the way it was.

“Oh?” Chaerin prompted, sidling just a bit closer as she leaned in his direction. “Are there any other tidbits of information you’d care to share then?” she asked almost coyly, a playful smile on her lips. Taekwoon leaned back a hair and gave her a suspicious, sidelong look. “Oh!” she gasped a heartbeat later, expression shifting into surprised chagrin as she took a step back and shook her head. “Sorry. My… dragon half seems to have taken a liking to you. Or your dragon. Not sure which,” she admitted with a mild grimace. “Though I suspect you already knew that. Or were beginning to realize,” she sighed, shoulders slumping in embarrassment.

“My dragon’s been more active too, since Tiamat’s awakening,” he tacitly agreed, looking away from her anyway. “But in answer to your question, no. I do not have anything else I wish to share from the Aerie Master,” he stated with a soft snort. The brief spot of levity fell quickly though when he settled on the original point he was trying to make. “If they were from Tiamat’s Aerie and Jungsu joined up with them after the split, it would make more sense about this unrest issue. “

“What do you mean?” she asked, crossing her arms loosely over her chest.

Taekwoon shook his head and shrugged once. “Well, it’s easier to conquer, or destroy,” he added with a grimace, “a divided or weakened city. I can only imagine the same tactic would work for a country too,” he scowled, recalling one of Master Historian Kibum’s many lessons. That one at least had stuck.

“True,” she conceded with a sigh. “I guess there’s too much we don’t-”

“Oy!” she was interrupted by another rider jogging over to check on them. It was Jungkook. Of course. “What’re you talking about?” he asked with a curious smile as he looked between them.

Taekwoon and Chaerin exchanged quick glances and he answered, “The challenges of the days to come.”

“Yeah? So are we,” he grinned, nodding back towards where the majority of other riders had congregated. “Come on. You should join in,” he encouraged, loosely grabbing Chaerin’s wrist and pulling her along.

Chaerin’s face registered surprise. “Eh?” she chirped, awkwardly following in the other rider’s wake.

Taekwoon snorted and shook his head. He had to give him credit. Jungkook was stubborn and determined. “Coming,” he shrugged, moseying after them as he tried to continue putting the pieces of the puzzle together.

Planning for what might come was all well and good, but it didn’t count for much once they were in the thick of things. The first day, they were mostly lucky. Dongwoo’s wing lost one dragon and rider and two other dragons were badly injured enough that they probably wouldn’t be able to return to the fight on the morrow. Such happenings made Insoo, Jinyoung, and Kan’s wings that much more careful in the air when it was their turn. Death on the very first foray made it all too real…

Their wings were skittish and wary, chasing only the easy targets and leaving the majority of wilds alone. Unlike a fevered battle, the extended games of cat and mouse that they played were exhausting in a different way. Taekwoon hardly fought at all and yet, when they tiredly returned to the safety of the city, his entire body ached as if he’d been in training all day. Jonghyun and Jongup were noticeably winded too, having worked extra hard to be on offense and defense as much as possible.

The only real positive, other than the fact that the situation of the city itself was relatively unchanged, was that no one else suffered any major injuries or deaths that day and that they’d more than given as good as they got. Plus, Jungsu and his wings of riders remained on the outskirts, just watching. It was slightly unnerving. Taekwoon suspected they were simply biding their time and learning what they might be up against if they chose to move. He hadn’t seen any motions to indicate the other man had any sort of control over the wilds, but it was still noteworthy that none of them ever tried to attack the three wings. At the end of the day though, he found he didn’t really care. He was just tired and it took real effort to make himself eat. Nor was he the only one. Conversation was minimal that evening, though Insoo made a great effort to visit all his wing members and offer words of encouragement and praise.

Taekwoon was grateful for it. Especially when he couldn’t miss Wing Leader Dongwoo sitting against his dragon with his head in his hands. A mildly injured Taecyeon had to try and give him a pep talk, but it was obvious the rider took the death and injuries in his wing very hard. A sick feeling stirred in Taekwoon’s stomach and he exhaled shakily.

_That won’t be us,_ Jonghyun denied firmly, laying his tail atop Taekwoon’s lap again and pressing his rider closer.

He wanted to agree. To believe without question, but after the day, it was difficult. _No,_ he eventually convinced himself to respond. He could feel the echo of promise coming from Jongup and he nodded. _After all, we did promise Jinki we’d be back._ Jongup nodded and Jonghyun gave a snort, a nonverbal but sufficient response. Taekwoon could feel the sentiment and that was enough. He took one final look at the other riders and their dragons and then closed his eyes, willing sleep to come. Fortunately, it did not take long to claim him.

The second day was noticeably better. Acquainted with the reality of their situation, the wings came together with a fierce determination and focus. The two teams staggered their approach, splitting time spent in the air into three different marks: two in the air – one mark for each team – and one on the ground for recovery. It was as equally exhausting as the former day, but they were able to maintain their spirits and their numbers without too many injuries. What was more, they’d managed to cull quite a few wilds in the process. Enough that it seemed as if Jungsu and his group were starting to take notice, or at least become interested in them. And, spending more time with his dragon surfaced, Taekwoon was starting to notice signs that maybe there was more going on than he’d originally noticed. As Chaerin had mentioned, it did seem as if Jungsu felt different. Like Chaerin had always felt but also… uncomfortably like Kevin. It unsettled Taekwoon and made his dragon half hover closer to the surface.

Unfortunately, Wing Leader Doojoon’s dragon was injured in one of their turns, along with two other dragons including Daniel’s. They had to shuffle some riders around to make up for the losses. With only one death but five major dragon injuries, they were down a wing and everyone felt nervous about that reality. Taekwoon could only thank the heavens that his own dragons were relatively unharmed. Tired and grumpy, but otherwise mostly free from injuries. Despite being mildly injured, like his dragon, Insoo made his rounds again, offering encouragement and support. This time, Taekwoon noticed the other Wing Leaders were doing it too, spending more time with those who had injuries or whose dragons were injured. Even Jinyoung tried, though he and his dragon had also sustained minor injuries during the day.

On the other hand, the remaining formers that no longer needed to watch the skies were helping the city protectors make small bits of progress in the defense of Kokoshir. One got lucky and managed to destroy a supply cache with a well placed boulder drop and another died mid flight, peppered with arrows, but took out an entire squad of foot soldiers when it crash landed in their midst. They were not large victories but every little bit helped.

The evening was not as restful as it could have been though. Falling debris became a real threat as the wilds picked up the trick they’d seen earlier and attacked the city from high above, forcing the Aerie riders to take turns patrolling in the dark with any formers that were rested enough to do so as well. If it was meant to make them tired and on edge, it worked.

They took longer than normal to get ready on the third day and it was very clear they did not have the energy of the previous one. But looking up, the skies did seem noticeably emptier than they had and it didn’t sound as if there was quite so much movement beyond the city walls this time. Taekwoon could only hope it was a good sign. He prayed it was at any rate. And then prayed that the two wings taking flight first would be alright, as the members of Doojoon’s wing were split into the remaining wings. If only luck was ever so kind…

The morning marks went by slowly, but they made good progress and stayed mostly safe. It was clear the wilds were starting to thin out, which was giving them room to breathe, but for Taekwoon, it felt like a wave was approaching. His skin itched and his dragon half was antsy. Jonghyun was too, but he personally felt like he was wearing a target. Taekwoon finally understood why when he focused on Jungsu again while they were catching their breath on the ground. Dragon eyes.

“Soo!” he called, urging Jonghyun to get Gunwoo as well so that he wouldn’t have to look away. He gasped and nearly fell forward when the riders in the air moved before Insoo could get to him. _“Jong!”_ he screamed, desperately trying to get his dragon to convey the warning for him.

Jonghyun, Jongup, and Gunwoo all howled at the same time, their voices echoing up and through the buildings sharply. It was the only thing that may have lessened the outcome. The three new wings attacked Taecyeon and Dongwoo’s wings savagely, ripping through their ranks with abandon.

“No!” Taekwoon cried, seeing one dragon plummet and another peel off with a sharp keening howl, the rider missing from its back.

“Riders!” Insoo shouted first, rallying those on the ground to go help the others.

Tired, angry bodies scrambled into harnesses as dragons hauled themselves into the air. Taekwoon kept his focus on Jungsu as he led the wings, swinging back around for another pass at the diminished riders before him. They were ready this time though. Despite the losses, they took two enemy dragons down in the next exchange and escaped with only an injured rider. By the third pass, Insoo’s wings had managed to catch up and join the fray, evening the odds considerably. Despite the numbers though, Taekwoon didn’t feel confident. He still felt on edge. His inner dragon raged, making him ill. Dragon sight focused and every sense felt painfully alive. Understanding dawned with a glance at Jungsu who was making some kind of gesturing motion. “ _Dragons_!” he warned, looking up as a pack of wilds took the opportunity to ambush them.

Swarmed by a small hoard of frenzied dragons, there was no following his wing leader anymore. There was only survival. Taekwoon sank further into his dragon’s awareness, almost literally linked with Jonghyun, and by extension Jongup. Fear vanished as he became the hunter, focused solely on the now.

Taking his sword in one hand and a riding hook in the other, he freed his harness and jumped from Jonghyun’s back, ready to fly. A dragon wing appeared before him. His riding hook flashed and snagged the membrane. The dragon folded easily, dropping from the sky. It attempted to flap, tearing its wing in the process when Taekwoon was flung away and towards another dragon. His sword growled as he stabbed it into the creature’s flank, pausing as he felt Jongup’s presence nearby. Freeing the blade, he snicked the base of the dragon’s wing and launched himself towards Jongup as it started to careen off in a different direction.

Torn between two halves, the dragon part of Taekwoon dominated, throwing him into combat with reckless abandon. The human part of him was just aware enough to practically feel when Hwasa died, her life ending like the snapping of a thread. Incensed, his dragon half raged as Ryeowook and Yesung dove to try and save her rider, Moonbyul. Instead of helping, Taekwoon wanted to rend and tear his opponents asunder.

On Jongup, they fast approached a dragonrider chasing one of their companions. A bronze rider. Jongup was faster and as they neared, he let the blue know what he intended to do. Jongup signaled he understood and when he flew by, Taekwoon jumped off. Falling, his sword cleaved the rider like parchment and scored the dragon’s side before he was clear and in free fall. A copper dragon swooped under him and Taekwoon latched onto Jonghyun effortlessly. His dragon half partially sated and the human side shaken, Taekwoon was almost centered enough to think about regrouping again. But then he felt Youngmin die and his vision washed red.


	50. Breaking the Siege - Part II

Rage… It consumed it. Made it hard to think. To see. To feel anything else. Taekwoon struggled to focus, to breathe… To be something more than the overwhelming feeling that was of him and not.

But then came pain. A sharp, unexpected sensation that shattered the wall of anger encompassing him. His sanguine vision cleared just enough. Trance… What was he doing in Trance? He did not remember getting there. He felt no better about knowing his location either. The space was dark and ominous, awash in stormy clouds. His gut twisted as the pain receded and rage threatened to swamp him again.

_Rider…_

Taekwoon grabbed his head in both hands and bent forward, mouth open in a silent scream. He knew that voice… but something else… was trying… to claim him. He fell to his knees and collapsed, elbows resting on the ground. Eyes pried open and a new sensation wormed into his gut. Fear.

His hands were claws. Bronze dragon claws. And his whole body itched and burned. “NO!” he denied savagely, gripping to his arms with too sharp talons. “Not a dragon!” he told himself, panting, voice high and tight.

_Want to be,_ an insidious whisper hissed in his ear.

“NO!” he denied again, the sound cutting off as the burning intensified.

_Want to fly,_ the whisper went on, the voice slithering over him like an undulating snake.

“Not like this…” It was all he could do to croak the words out, forced past clenched teeth.

_Rider!_

“Jong!” he howled, rising up to his knees as his back arched. What felt like daggers ripped through his shoulder blades. He sobbed and fell on his side, curling into a tight ball.

_Want revenge for death,_ the oppressive voice continued, carrying rage with it.

Taekwoon finally realized what was speaking to him. His dragon half. The part of him that _did_ want these things. But because it was part of him, he also wanted those things. At least a little… And so he couldn’t even deny it. He did. He wanted them to pay for killing his wing mates. But not like this…

_Want strength to win,_ it spoke, a dark truth. _Human not strong. Dragon is._

“I _am_ strong,” Taekwoon whimpered, reaching for something… anything to cling to. Strong enough to pass the Trials. Strong enough to earn Jonghyun’s respect. Strong enough to beat Gain in a fight…

“Taek…woon?”

_But not strong enough to protect,_ his dragon half reminded him, summoning the feeling of loss that came when Hwasa and Youngmin died. The wrench that followed the memory of their deaths cut through his defenses with such ease. He howled, a mixed sound of rage and pain.

“Woonie…?”

Taekwoon gasped. That name…

“I here,” the voice went on. It didn’t sound quite right, but…

“Jinki?” he whispered, picking his exhausted head up to stare through the faint red haze that had covered his vision once again.

“See me,” the other man urged, kneeling in front of him as he reached for Taekwoon’s curled up form.

“My heart,” he exhaled, his chest growing tight as he saw his other half. It should be impossible for him to be here and yet there he was, looking very much like the day they’d parted ways. Taekwoon reached towards Jinki but then saw his clawed hand and pulled it back, ashamed and afraid.

“No,” Jinki shook his head, placing his hand on Taekwoon’s shoulder. “S’okay,” he encouraged, nodding once while his hand followed the limb so he could curl his fingers around Taekwoon’s.

“My dragon half… I can’t…” he started to speak but didn’t have the words.

“Come,” his other half urged, pulling at his hand determinedly.

“What…?” Taekwoon whispered, so very lost. But it was better than the rage. Than the insidious whisper he could still feel but no longer hear.

“Come,” Jinki said again, stronger this time as he pulled at Taekwoon’s hand.

“My heart!” the rider sobbed when he actually followed the pull and fell against the other man’s chest.

“There,” Jinki soothed, wrapping his arms around Taekwoon’s head and shoulders as he cradled him close. “You are you. Man. Not dragon,” he promised with simple determination.

_RIDER!_ Both jumped at the roar.

“Must go!” his other half gasped, looking around with a panicked expression.

It was only then that it dawned on Taekwoon. The strange sounding voice. The odd speech patterns. The unusual hesitancy… “Thank you, Jongup,” he weakly laughed with a weary look at the other man.

“You wel- not Jongup!” he caught himself with a frantic shake of his head as he focused on Taekwoon again. “Jinki!”

“I’ll be alright now,” he promised, raising one clawed hand and looking at it for a moment before he pat the other man’s head gently. “Now get out there and help Jonghyun,” he urged with a not unkind shove, mentally and physically kicking the false Jinki out of Trance. “Heavens curse you,” he snarled as he felt his dragon half rush back to try and make up for lost ground. Nausea swelled as the rage and animal fury returned like a storm. _Jong!_ he screamed, clenching his eyes tight and reaching for _his_ dragon this time. Somehow… he’d lost the feel of their connection… He needed to get it back.

Taekwoon reached. And reached and reached… hand stretching out forever. His dragon half clawed at him, inching its way back, bit by bit. Trying to force the change. To turn him to that consuming fury. Jong… please…

_Rider._

It felt like something bit his hand and then yanked him forward. Bile burned his throat and forced him to sit up so he could vomit on the hard ground. Oh blessed ground… It was a short lived relief though.

“You’re okay!” a familiar woman’s voice cried at his side, one hand on his shoulder as if to support him.

His head spun, his stomach was revolting, and he felt weaker than a newborn babe, but yes… he was okay. Probably. Despite all that, his senses were almost painfully sharp, which may have been why he felt as poorly as he did. But… it did make him notice Chaerin’s injury – a bloody cloth tied around her other arm, and the sound of combat nearby. His skin crawled as dragon sight focused his attention. For one moment, he wanted to shove it away or run from it, but then he noticed the fighting. “Soo,” he whispered, picking up on the injured Wing Leader fighting… Jungsu again.

“You have to help,” Chaerin urged, practically shaking him. “He’s toying with him.”

Taekwoon groaned softly. He didn’t remember what had happened to land him here. He didn’t even really know what was going on now, other than Insoo fighting Jungsu. Wait… There. He could see Jungkook scrambling to take on two riders that were similarly grounded. Where were there dragons? Oh. He took a surprised breath as he actually _felt_ Jonghyun’s presence above him. He didn’t even have to look to _know_ the copper was fighting other dragons – was that silver Jungsu’s? And there… was Jongup.

_Took you long enough,_ his dragon grumbled, the sound strained but strangely grateful.

_Sorry,_ Taekwoon apologized quickly, already feeling steadier, if no less guilty.

“Taekwoon!” Chaerin gasped, her fingers tightening on his arm. He looked over again and saw Insoo backpedaling quickly, trying to escape the onslaught Jungsu was throwing at him. Dragon eyes… Even if Insoo wasn’t already injured, he wouldn’t have been a match for the other rider this time.

_Can you fight?_ his dragon asked, slightly distracted.

_Yes… just, don’t let go,_ he murmured uncertainly, rising to his feet.

_Not this time,_ his dragon promised fiercely.

Satisfied, Taekwoon’s eyes jumped from one figure to the next, mapping where everyone was as quickly as possible as he tried to make sense of the situation. There was Fei, fending off an incoming force of foot soldiers. V was in the air, tangling with another rider’s dragon. Hyunseong fighting next to his dragon, the latter forlorn. Loss sang in the air around him. Jinyoung and JB at their side, protecting. Where… there was Wooyoung and Taeyeon. Flying circles around the wilds still dogging them from above. Nearby… some of the other wing mates. Taecyeon in the distance, protecting the city from other riders and wilds.

_Rider causing trouble,_ Jonghyun explained with a mental nod towards Jungsu. It just as easily could have been directed at Taekwoon but not this time.

_I feel it,_ Taekwoon admitted with a shudder. That terrible gut turning rage got worse as he focused on Jungsu. It reminded him all too clearly of Tiamat and his hackles rose. “Give me your sword,” he stated sharply, holding his right hand out to Chaerin without looking at her.

“What? Oh,” she chirped in brief confusion before handing him the standard issue long sword they all learned to fight with.

He didn’t know where his was but it didn’t matter. Taekwoon gripped the handle tight and he leaned forward, almost falling before his body took over and started running. His heart rate spiked and blood rushed in his ears as he focused all of his attention on one single person: Jungsu. Attention diverted to Insoo as well and he gasped. His wing leader was in trouble. His block was weak. Sword pushed too close. Footing unsteady. Blood getting in his eyes and main hand failing. He cried out. His sword went flying. Wide eyes open, Jungsu’s sword stabbed right at him.

“No!” Taekwoon barked, launching himself between them to hammer Jungu’s sword out of the way while he grabbed and tackled Insoo to the side. He landed awkwardly, one foot under him and both hands touching the ground to keep him from falling flat. Insoo hit and tumbled away, weakly rolling into a crouching position.

“Taekwoon…” he exhaled breathily with a groan.

“Stay,” Taekwoon growled, offhand reaching back as if to stop him. “He is mine,” he added with narrowed eyes as Jungsu stood up straight. At first, the rider seemed surprised but then a sly smile crossed his face.

“Looks like your dragon wants to come out and play,” he taunted, silver eyes shining as he met Taekwoon’s gaze.

“Oh, he does,” Taekwoon snorted with a nod and a twist of his head, left hand twitching as the dragon within raged. “But _I’m_ here now,” he promised viciously, letting his very human anger boil up.

“Are you sure about that?” Jungsu asked almost playfully. He raised his left hand and drew a symbol in the air before motioning as if to push it at him.

Taekwoon tensed up, gut twisting as he realized what it was: it was the rune for Transform. He hissed as he felt his dragon half growing in him, the familiar and unwanted itching and burning sensation returning. “ _Jong,_ ” he growled through clenched teeth, the call singing through their bond.

_Here, rider,_ his dragon assured him, following up with that same biting sensation as before. _Mine,_ the copper growled, the normally intimidating sound strangely pleasant in that moment.

“Yes,” Taekwoon smirked as he stood upright, once again assured of his connection to his dragon. “I am.”

There. A flicker of fear in Jungsu’s eyes. Clearly the other man had not expected that reaction. Good. Taekwoon was tired from whatever he’d done earlier and wouldn’t last long in an extended fight, but… with Jonghyun at his back, it should be enough.

_And mate._

And Jongup. It should be enough indeed. Taekwoon took a breath as he saw the anger in Jungsu’s gaze. He launched forward first, sprinting like a wild animal at the other man. It surprised his target. Jungsu’s eyes dilated and then shrank to pin pricks as he reacted. Their swords clashed between them, stalling in place.

One, two, three exchanges. One step forward, one step back. Sparks flew. Swords shifted and Jungsu’s blade slid past Taekwoon’s head. He reached out, fingers crooked into claws. Nails dug into weak flesh. Jungsu stumbled back with his hand clasped to his face, shocked surprised etched into his features. Taekwoon lunged after him, sword flashing before him. The other rider reacted, dropping his hand to reveal a scored cheek bleeding profusely.

Holding with both hands, Jungsu struck Taekwoon’s blade wide. He tried to come down but the other rider moved close. Taekwoon ducked his head and rammed his shoulder into Jungsu’s stomach, shoving him back. Pivoting, he stepped his right foot backwards and swung his blade in a backhand arc. Jungsu yanked his sword upright just in time but stumbled backwards under the force. Left hand raised, Taekwoon plowed forward with a hook that glanced off the other man’s chin.

Jungsu stumbled away with a dazed cry and Taekwoon followed. Sword raised, he lunged at the recovering rider. Jungsu turned to look at him, left hand raised helplessly and right trying to drag his sword up in time. “Oh shards,” Taekwoon groaned as he stabbed his blade through Jungsu’s chest while a sharp pain bit into his left side.

“No…” Jungsu gasped, blinking in stunned surprise while he teetered backwards with his eyes fixated on the sword impaled in him.

Taekwoon watched him long enough to make sure he fell down before groaning and grabbing the sword stuck in him too. “Oh…” he exhaled, kneeling in place and gritting his teeth while he looked at the damage. Jungsu’s blade had passed clean through the outermost edge of his body, and he knew he needed to pull it out but he didn’t want to…

“Taekwoon!” Insoo came stumbling over immediately, blood still framing his face, but he was otherwise alright. “Are you okay?” he asked, reaching for the sword before pulling back uncertainly.

“Hah!” Taekwoon barked a laugh and then cringed when it hurt. “Just take it,” he urged breathlessly, looking away in automatic expectation.

“Brace yourself,” his wing leader warned before gripping the handle and yanking the sword free.

Taekwoon made a strange pained noise before falling forward, left hand holding the front of his wound and right hand bracing him above the ground. With Jungsu’s presence gone, his dragon half receded quickly, leaving him as little more than an overworked human struggling to make sense of things. His stomach revolted again and heaved up the pitiful contents of his gut once more. “Oh shards,” he groaned, lowering himself to his elbow and resting his head on the ground.

“Easy,” Insoo soothed, hissing as he moved to bind Taekwoon’s wound.

_Jong?_ he asked mentally, eyes closed while he struggled with everything.

There was a brief pause before his dragon responded. _They’re leaving…_

Taekwoon sucked in a breath and looked up to make sure he heard correctly. “Oh,” he exhaled, seeing the wilds turning to fly away in disarray. A handful of dragons with gear stayed in the area, apparently searching for their riders, though a large, injured silver glared at him as it flew away. “Riders?” he panted, shaking himself free from the creatures gaze before peering at Insoo with a pained expression.

His Wing Leader looked around quickly and took a swift tally. “The enemy seems to be retreating. Ours are…” he trailed off, not sure what to say yet.

“I know,” Taekwoon nodded, ducking his head again. Dead or injured or suffering. So few seemed to be unharmed or in moderately good condition.

“What happened, Taekwoon?” He heard the question as if it was from far away and it took a moment to sink in.

Blinking tiredly, Taekwoon wasn’t even sure he had a good answer. “I don’t know,” he responded, not sure if it was the truth but it was all he could give at the moment.

“But…” Insoo started to say before the rest of the sentence simply died. “Never mind for now. You did well with Jungsu. We’ve got other things to worry about though,” he conceded, turning to look when the sound of wings grew closer.

Taekwoon looked up and noticed it was Gunwoo but then he saw Jonghyun landing nearby. “Jong,” he gasped, lunging up with a pained cry as he stumbled towards his dragon.

_Rider,_ Jonghyun soothed when Taekwoon bodily ran into the larger creature. One clawed hand rose up to hold the rider closer, supporting him when his grip was poor. _You are human. Not dragon. Remember,_ he commanded, drawing his head close to press against Taekwoon’s back in an awkward hug. He had no words to respond with. Only tears that stained the copper skin he tried to hide them against.

“Come on,” Insoo urged, making his way to the scored Gunwoo. His dragon hunkered down as low as possible to help the rider get on his back. “We need to get back to the city and away from them,” he explained with a nod towards the ground forces not that far away. Fei was still doing her best to keep the foot soldiers at bay, flying in circles and dropping debris on them as much as she could, but they were still coming and she was obviously getting tired.

“Right,” Jinyoung agreed, both hands on Hyunseong’s shoulders as he slowly guided him towards V, Jungkook’s only mildly injured blue dragon. The rider was uncharacteristically withdrawn, much like his unresponsive and inconsolable dragon.

Insoo recognized the situation immediately. “Okay. Taekwoon. You’re on Jongup. Jonghyun. Help Kwangmin,” he instructed firmly, pointing between the dragons as he spoke. “Woo, the body,” he added with a quick gesture at Jungsu’s prone form before turning to look at the gold. “Fei! Come on!” he called, knowing she’d hear or that his dragon would relay the message.

_Go,_ Jonghyun urged as he nudged Taekwoon away, gently passing him off to his mate.

Jongup appeared at his shoulder with a soft chirp. The blue snout brushed at his arm and Taekwoon merely nodded mutely as hugged the dragon’s head in response. He took a shuddering breath and worked his way down the neck before easing himself into the harness, taking much longer than usual due to his newest injury. He at least remembered to connect the harness straps but that was about all he could muster himself to do. When Jongup launched into the air, Taekwoon collapsed on his back, lying weakly along the dragon’s spine.

He could feel Jongup’s concern and he brushed his hands against the blue hide in a reassuring measure. “It’s okay,” he soothed, blinking slowly and clinging to consciousness. He was afraid to sleep, even though it beckoned. Unconsciousness meant his dragon half might be free to move, to try something again. Even though Jungsu was finished, Taekwoon didn’t feel safe. He was still wary. Still on edge. The feeling persisted long after they were free of the battle site and heading into the city.

The harried remainder of their wings made it back to the walls of the city without further obstruction. Fortunately. In response, the formers took to the skies now that the wilds were gone. It was their turn to safeguard the dragons and their riders. That was fine by Taekwoon. He didn’t have enough in him to put up even a token resistance. Panic did start to set in when gentle hands removed him from Jongup’s back and started to move him indoors, but it was temporary.

_I’m here, rider,_ Jonghyun promised, reaching through their bond and holding tight in a way that made him feel as if he’d been wrapped in a warm blanket.

Taekwoon found himself in a trance-like state where he could hear people talking though nothing they said made sense. Some were probably asking him questions, but he felt no reason to answer or even try to understand. A part of him realized Insoo was nearby, a bulwark against the majority of additional inquiries. And he could sort of feel that other riders were in the same area too, though it was a general sensation. He couldn’t tell who specifically. Only that they were familiar. On the other hand, he could feel the dragons were outside, clustered together as they took tired comfort in their mutual presence. Dragon Healers wandered among them – only two since they didn’t traditionally need many – but it was better than none. And through it all, he could hear, or maybe it was feel, Jonghyun’s heartbeat, pulsing steadily between them. It was almost like a lullaby, calming and reassuring. With it, he could feel Jongup close at hand, and then each immediate dragon in their wings.

It was easiest to recognize Gunwoo, the lead dragon’s presence a constant no matter what. But he could also feel V and JB, even though the latter had been stationed to another wing for now. And there was Seohyun and Junho, Wooyoung’s red. And just at the edge of awareness, he could feel the newest members of their sister wing… Fei and Yesung; the in-pain Eljo and an aggrieved Kwangmin; but… there was a curious emptiness where he knew something else should be.

_Hwasa and Youngmin,_ his dragon explained, a curious note to his mental voice. _You can feel us now,_ he murmured, the sentence a statement of fact, not a question.

_I…_ Taekwoon started to speak, feeling guilt and pain twist in his gut at the memory of actually experiencing the dragons’ deaths.

_When?_ Jonghyun asked, leaning harder against his rider to offer what support he could.

_Today,_ he answered without thinking, full of strange thoughts.

_You are human but… your dragon grows stronger,_ his copper sighed, the sound uncertain. _Trance connect all. More time spent together makes stronger bonds. Maybe why we fly better as wing,_ he offered, clearly trying to think about this like a human would. _You felt like a dragon today. But no bond…_ he admitted quietly, almost like he was afraid to mention it.

_What did I do, Jong?_ he asked softly, hands balling into loose fists as he stared blankly ahead.

_No remember?_ the copper asked in mild surprise.

_Not really. Flashes, but they’re more like a dream,_ he explained, shaking his head. _I know I jumped off you but after that… I… no, my dragon half…_ he corrected, trailing off.

Jonghyun mentally nodded and sighed. _You won’t like,_ the copper promised with a hesitant pause.

_Ah,_ Taekwoon grimaced, vaguely recalling the first dragon and rider he’d attacked. The memory made him ill and he shoved it away quickly.

_More like that,_ his dragon added, the voice and feeling sad. _You were… angry. No thinking. Just, hurting. Strange for you. I not like. But couldn’t reach. You gone. There but not,_ he explained, more than a little troubled.

The admission made Taekwoon feel cold and he shuddered. _How did you find me?_

 _You fell off dragon. Hit ground. Came back, but not in you. In Trance,_ he explained, head mentally tilting to the side in a thoughtful motion. _Own Trance. Not mine or mate’s._

 _My own Trance?_ he wondered in confusion. That shouldn’t have been possible but… if his dragon half was more dominant at the time, maybe it was. _I heard you._

Jonghyun nodded. _Couldn’t reach. Too far and stupid silver in the way,_ he grumbled, recalling Jungsu’s dragon. _But mate go. Got close. Could reach you. But you no hear. Not at first. Needed something else._

 _My mate,_ Taekwoon laughed once, shaking his head at the memory. _But… if it was my Trance, why was Jongup able to change?_

His dragon paused to think about how to respond first and then explained slowly. _Trance connect all. Not separate. You stronger in your Trance. Could stop mate’s change, but you not in control then. Want help. Want change,_ he finished with a slow shrug.

Taekwoon couldn’t deny that. He _had_ wanted help. Something… anything to stop what was happening. _Jong. Why…_ he started to ask, knowing his dragon already knew the question, but it was clear he wasn’t going to respond until he finished. _Why do you think my dragon half was stronger today?_

The copper grumbled through their bond and mentally paced before offering a possible answer. _First, you wanted dragon’s help. Two halves agree. Work together to protect. But that rider… Jungsu. Wrong. Felt wrong. Like you – dragon and man, but… wrong,_ he finished, not knowing how else to explain it.

_Like… Tiamat?_ he offered carefully, understanding quite well how his dragon felt.

_Maybe…_ Jonghyun exhaled. _Make wilds angry. You angry. Me irritated,_ he growled.

_I see,_ he sighed, trying to reconcile everything he knew. The fact that Jungsu knew a rune or two and that they had affected him made Taekwoon more inclined to believe it. Unfortunately, the only other person he knew that understood runes was Kevin.

_Your dragon quiet now,_ the copper observed.

Taekwoon nodded in agreement. Tentatively, he reached towards that part of himself and then pulled back. It was there, but… resting? That was fine by him. He was more than content to let sleeping dragons lie. _It seems like it’s just me right now,_ he sighed, very much relieved about that.

_Good. Probably better for talking to Wing Leader,_ his dragon encouraged, giving a mental nudge to look outward.

“Huh?” the rider blinked as he took a larger breath and looked up, reluctantly pulling himself from the submerged mental connection with his dragon.

“Welcome back,” Insoo murmured quietly, arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the plain wooden wall in a small dimly lit room.

Confused, Taekwoon glanced around with a furrowed brow and then down at the cot he was sitting on. “Where are we?” he asked, vaguely recalling he’d last been in the Healing Hall for treatment. His wound was wrapped as if it had been attended to, but the rest of the time after was very much a blur.

His Wing Leader wrinkled his nose and shook his head. “Essentially… solitary confinement.” At Taekwoon’s surprised look, Insoo just shrugged. “You’re lucky you’re not in irons. Had to convince Taecyeon to let me watch you here instead,” he exhaled, mouth twisting to the side.

_Jong?_ he asked, knowing his dragon had to have understood what was going on while they were talking.

_You were not yourself. They worried,_ he admitted, not the least bit ashamed. _Wing Leader good leader. He watch over you._

Taekwoon made a face at the deception of omission but took a breath and met Insoo’s eyes again. It was hard to see him clearly in the dim lighting of a single torch, but it was enough. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, dropping his head as he placed his left hand on his bandaged wound.

“I’m not. Not really. Things could have been a lot worse today,” he said somberly, scratching at his jaw before he glanced at Taekwoon’s side. “And I should at least thank you for that. After all, you did save me today,” Insoo shrugged, stepping close enough to squat in front of him so he was looking up into the younger rider’s face. “You didn’t hurt any of ours, but… you did act more like a rogue dragon this afternoon,” he explained simply. That made Taekwoon wince. Such a comparison was not particularly pleasant. He was surprised his dragon hadn’t chastised him more for it.

_Feel guilty enough. Make worse if I say._

Okay. That made sense but still… “I… was not myself,” he painfully admitted.

“Oh, I gathered that,” Insoo snorted, rolling his eyes as he fell back to sit down on the ground. “Your dragon was _very_ obvious today.” Again, Taekwoon winced. “But, my guess is that Jungsu had something to do with that. After all, you didn’t lose control until he joined the fray and the wilds left shortly after you took care of him too. So… that being said, tell me what you know,” he commanded simply, hands gesturing in front of him as if to ask what he had to lose.


	51. Preparing for the Inevitable

Waiting was always the hardest part. Taekwoon had often told him as much and Satoru had promised such a reality too. And it wasn’t that Jinki was unfamiliar with waiting… but the situation had never felt so overwhelming before. Blessedly, or perhaps frustratingly, nothing had happened in the four days since the wings had all departed. Nothing overtly bad anyway. No unexpected attacks, deaths or disasters had assailed them thus far. They had also made very good progress in creating makeshift shelters at the base of the mountain. If they did have to evacuate the Aerie, hiding in plain sight would likely be safer than taking refuge in Miremaw. Which was something indeed, but still no guarantee. Like everything else, it was just strange because everything was so different now.

Jinki stood in the Aerie commons and looked around at the unsettling scene: it was too quiet. They still had their seven wings with them to watch the Aerie, and in the distance he could see a handful of dragons on patrol, but the life that filled their home was less. There weren’t as many dragons in the field; the primary stalls in the commons were quiet and unmanned; they had fewer dragons and riders stationed along the walls; and the sheer absence of people made him just sad. Most residents remained indoors or practiced when Seunghyun badgered them into training again. They’d lost a few more people who had opted to leave for Miremaw as well, but those who remained were subdued and quiet.

“Gotcha!”

The functioning Aerie Master nearly had a heart attack as he jumped a foot in the air when someone surprised him from behind. “Sanghyuk!” he barked in a breathy exhale while he whirled to face his attacker, revising his earlier thought: _most_ people were subdued and quiet. Then there were the handful like the younger runner before him who had apparently made it their duty to be extra lively.

“Sorry, Aerie Master,” he apologized quickly, the cheeky grin showing he felt no such thing. “Couldn’t resist,” he added, ducking his head in mild abashment.

Torn between his usual reaction of amusement at being so fully surprised or displaced anger for being caught so unawares, he forced himself to take a breath and laugh once. “What can I do for you?” he asked, taking another breath as he willed his heart to slow down, both irritated and grateful at the same time. It was a strange sensation to feel.

Sanghyuk seemed to realize he may have overstepped his bounds just a hair and he straightened up quickly. “Master Satoru has asked to see you in his- your- the main office,” he finished after a moment of brief confusion.

That at least brought a genuine chuckle from Jinki. “Thank you,” he nodded his head once and let the flustered face before him sooth whatever feelings of misgiving lingered. At least he wasn’t the only one that didn’t seem to able to attain perfection when he wanted it. “Any idea what he wants to see me about?” he couldn’t help but ask, uncertainty making his chest a little tighter than usual.

“Sorry, Aerie Master,” Sanghyuk shook his head with a helpless shrug.

“Ah well. Thank you again,” Jinki smiled with a small bow. He stood up to move away but paused as he realized the runner might not be completely finished talking. There was an air of hesitation about him. “Yes?” he prompted with a raised brow, turning to face the younger man again.

Visibly relieved at the question, Sanghyuk managed a weak smile. “How are you doing?”

Jinki smiled once, the reaction reflexive. “I should be asking you that,” he chided in a gentle tone.

Sanghyuk waved him off quickly. “Feh. I’m fine. Joy keeps me on my toes and my friends are mostly still here. No real changes for me,” he admitted honestly. “I just know you’ve got a lot going on right now,” he added quietly, ducking his head and shuffling his feet.

It was a sweet concern and Jinki was touched by it. He stepped forward and placed his hand on Sanghyuk’s shoulder with a gentle smile. “I do have a lot going on, but I have people like you here to help me through it,” he promised, carefully hiding the pain of missing the one he really wanted to be with him.

“Yeah, well… there’s not much we can do to help, but if you want someone to play a hand of cards with, I’m your man,” he grinned, dredging up what he actually could offer with a confident thumb pointing at his chest.

“I may have to take you up on that,” Jinki laughed, the expression genuine. “It’s been too long since I’ve played after all.”

“Oh! I can get Joy too, and you know Jimin would like to play and if we can pull Himchan away from Master Mimi, he’s not half bad. But if we invite Jongin, you’ve gotta be careful with that one. Sneaky bugger,” he grumbled good naturedly.

“Yes, yes,” the Aerie Master chuckled, shaking his head. He’d heard about their playing sessions before, and it made him glad to know that Jongin had been accepted among them. He didn’t always fit well with the riders, his limp making it difficult to keep up, but the helpers around the aerie were more open to anyone who wanted to be present. “I’ll have to let you know if I’ve got some free time soon,” he promised reassuringly before jerking his head to the side to send the younger man off while he got started on his own task.

“Great! We’ll look forward to it!” the runner grinned, bouncing in excitement as he jogged off with a parting wave.

Jinki hid the uncertainty he felt at making that a possibility. He was busy and with what may come to pass in the near future… he had doubts about his schedule, among other things. But for now, Satoru wished to speak with him and he could only hope the news wasn’t bad. He laughed at himself when he paused to knock on the Aerie Master’s door - old habits died slowly. With a look at his raised hand and a snort, Jinki shook his head and opened the door, stepping into the familiar space with a feeling of trepidation.

“Ah. There you are, Jinki,” Satoru smiled lightly, looking up from the scroll on his – Jinki’s – the Aerie Master’s desk.

“Sanghyuk said you were looking for me,” he shrugged, coming into the room further so he could stand at Satoru’s shoulder and look down at what he was seeing. It was still odd for him to take such liberties, even though it was now a part of his position.

“Yes. We’ve received word from Talongrace,” he explained in a very neutral tone. That alone was alarming.

“Oh?” Jinki prompted, letting his eyes drop to the scroll to read the carefully written writing. “Oh,” he added softly after scanning the contents. A sick ball of fear coiled in his stomach and he swallowed once.

“Yes,” Satoru sighed, fingertips tapping on the desk in a quick staccato pattern.

“This is from Captain Yunho,” he breathed, fingertips tracing the signature at the bottom.

Satoru grunted in confirmation. “He doesn’t have the experience of Eric but he does have the intuition. The numbers are shaky because he is acting preemptively, but they do not bode well.”

Jinki winced and bit his bottom lip. “They’re helping the city evacuate and sending them to Miremaw first before checking if the coast is clear for Kokoshir.”

“He is probably counting on Taecyeon’s wings at least upending the balance at Kokoshir so they can accept refugees if need be,” he murmured, carefully avoiding any other names.

“But… this would mean he expects the Dawnbringer Battalions to destroy Talongrace,” Jinki frowned, rereading the scroll again.

“Yes.”

It was strange how a single word could cause Jinki to feel so unsettled and afraid. “And Bahamut’s Aerie?” he wondered, teeth digging into his lip again.

“Probably the same,” Satoru admitted with a grimace. “But we expected that.”

That was true, but it didn’t make Jinki feel any better. “This was sent three days ago. How did it arrive?”

“By horseman. No dragons could be spared. It wouldn’t have mattered anyway. They outnumber our flying forces by at least two times,” he scowled, pointing at the number Jinki had seen but didn’t really want to acknowledge.

“Are you sure that’s the count? Isn’t it strange that he didn’t give a number for the wings?” Jinki wondered, knowing that the distinction was important.

“Not if there aren’t that many wings,” the former Aerie Master exhaled, wrinkling his nose. “With Tiamat present, it’s likely she won’t tolerate many humans. My best guess is that whatever riders they have, they’re only there because their dragons wish it and the rest are wilds or possibly new rogues.”

That was not good news. Jinki grimaced and shook his head. “How much time do we have?”

“Some, but not much. Depending on how well Commander Yunho is able to slow their progress, they will likely be here… soon,” Satoru admitted with a pained sound.

The announcement made Jinki feel suddenly weak and he leaned hard against the desk with an audible exhale. “I know we talked about this but I don’t feel ready,” he whispered with a trembling voice.

Satoru’s hand on his shoulder was soothing and reassuring. “No one is ever ready for something like this, Jinki. How does one even begin to prepare for the coming of a dragon god?” he asked rhetorically, the question bitter.

Jinki laughed once and took a small breath. “You’re not wrong.” Uncertainly, he glanced at the door to his left and felt a tremor run through him.

“Soon,” Satoru promised sadly.

“It would be nice to know how he might react,” Jinki admitted, fear gnawing at him.

“Indeed. That would simplify our problems considerably. But since we don’t, we must continue to expect the worst and act accordingly,” he exhaled, leaning back in his chair.

Jinki stood up and rubbed his face with both hands. “You haven’t mentioned so I’m guessing no but… any word from Taecyeon?” he asked hesitantly, peeking through his fingers.

Satoru shook his head and sighed again. “I’m afraid not. For now, we just have to have faith. I’m fairly certain that if something had happened to Taekwoon, you would have felt it.”

“Maybe,” Jinki murmured, dropping his hands to look at them before him.

“I think so. You don’t have a normal connection, after all. Jonghyun and Jongup saw to that,” the former Aerie Master chuckled once.

That was definitely true. But… he hadn’t felt anything. At least nothing that he could attribute to his weak bond with Jongup. And through him, Jonghyun and Taekwoon. It was just as likely they were all feeling some degree of worry or anxiousness. If he was being honest, he _was_ feeling a bit more anxious than usual, but given the circumstances, it was not exactly an unexpected response. Not that it made Jinki feel any better of course. “Well… word or no, we’ll probably need to act soon.” He hated saying that. It made him feel terrible to try and move forward without trying to make concessions for those he knew about but couldn’t predict.

“Yes. We will,” Satoru nodded in quiet approval, his expression carefully neutral. “I suggest we start moving supplies down immediately. The remaining livestock especially. They’ll be the most difficult to handle but not impossible.”

Jinki nodded in silent agreement, but then he realized Satoru was watching him, waiting for his input. He really didn’t want to be in charge right now. It would be so much easier if Satoru would resume being the Aerie Master, but he’d already said he wouldn’t. In point of fact, he was doing more than he should have, given that admission, but Jinki couldn’t help but be grateful. He’d told Sanghyuk he was alright, but he wasn’t. Not really. He very much felt alone and adrift, even though it was stupid. “Is being Aerie Master always this difficult?” he wondered, aghast when he realized he’d spoken aloud.

With wide eyes, he looked at Satoru, guilt written in every feature of his face. The other man just looked at him and laughed sadly. “It’s never easy, Jinki. But, you’ve had the misfortune of becoming an Aerie Master during far too interesting times. I don’t expect you to have all the answers. I never did,” he assured the younger man with a wan smile and a small shrug. “All we can do some days is act like we do or promise that we can find them in the future, even if we don’t know,” he explained slowly, feeling his way with care as he chose his words.

On the one hand, it was nice knowing he was in similar company. On the other, it was unsettling having the illusion of leadership stripped away so easily. It made sense. No one was all knowing, but… the lie was a nice one to cling to. He wiped at the corner of his eye once and nodded, taking a breath as he picked his shoulders up. “Okay.” Satoru looked at him with a raised brow. “Given what we know, like you said, we should move the livestock below as soon as possible. Water barrels and food supplies too.”

The small smile on Satoru’s lips was encouraging. “How will you safeguard them for now?” he asked intently.

Jinki paused for thought. They shouldn’t use any of the current wings, as they would be needed when the enemy arrived, but… “We should station some of the injured dragons there. As long as they can fly for short distances, they would make suitable watches at the ground level to keep basic nuisances away. Since they won’t be able to take part in the fighting without greater risk to themselves right now, it seems like a good idea to get them out of harm’s way as well as give them something to focus on.”

“Good. They have started to become a little agitated with their situation,” Satoru confirmed approvingly.

“Their riders can stay with them and we can start to ferry any people down that want to move ahead of time. Having them wait a bit longer out of the main Aerie shouldn’t harm them,” he reasoned, biting on his thumbnail in thought.

“I concur. What about lodgings?” he prompted helpfully. “The dragons do fine with sleeping on the ground, but humans are fickle creatures,” he laughed once, more of a snort really.

“We can empty some of their rooms for beds and storage containers. We’ve lost a few residents already so their supplies are fair game and… we can use some of the riders’ beds and supplies as well. Those that are here are easy. We can just relocate them down below and temporarily stay in the absent riders’ beds for those remaining topside,” he reasoned, trying to run the numbers through his head from all sides.

“Good reasoning. I’d suggest leaving the riders’ goods alone for now. We’ve more than enough beds among the residents and Masters to supply those here with lodging,” Satoru countered with a shake of his head. “If the riders do return from Kokoshir before the main attack, it will be better for them to have a familiar place to stay,” he explained softly.

“You’re right,” Jinki quickly admitted, ducking his head. He was glad about that decision as he’d been worrying about trying to move their bed himself. If he could leave it be, that would be better. For now anyway.

“I’d also recommend having the library moved,” Satoru added quietly. “We probably should have been moving books already, given how many we have,” he admitted with a small grimace and a sigh.

“But doing that would mean that this is all real,” Jinki whispered, staring at the scroll again. “If we didn’t do anything, we could pretend that maybe it wouldn’t happen like we feared. Isn’t that right?” he asked, glancing at the older man out of the corner of his eye.

Satoru snorted and gave a slow nod. “There is that,” he agreed quietly.

“Well, maybe it’ll give everyone something to focus on and wear them out so they can sleep tonight,” Jinki mused. He hadn’t been sleeping well and he figured he couldn’t be the only one. Even though it was partly because his bed felt too empty and he was consumed with worry for his other half, the uncertainty of their collective future would bother anyone.

“Fair enough,” the former Aerie Master smiled, patting Jinki on the shoulder reassuringly. “Why don’t you go deliver the news and I’ll start packing up the office?” he suggested, glancing around the filled space.

Jinki followed his gaze and then focused on the older man again. “Okay, but don’t work too hard. You’re not as young as you used to be,” he teased, forcing some degree of levity into their situation.

“Hah!” Satoru barked, flashing a bright smile at his protégé. “Impudent wretch,” he scoffed with no heat and all amusement. “Go on then,” he urged when Jinki didn’t move immediately.

“Thank you, Master Satoru,” Jinki murmured, hands clasped in front of him as he felt a curious pressure in his chest. “For everything,” he added, bowing deeply. This felt different. Heavy. He didn’t like it.

“Jinki,” his former Master sighed. “Go,” he urged when the other man looked up. “This isn’t goodbye,” he stated with a shake of his head. “We’ve too much work to do,” he added, eyes widening with another significant glance around the room.

It didn’t help, but Jinki knew he couldn’t very well stay there. “You’re right,” he forced himself to say, nodding once more. “I’ll let you know how everything’s going later,” he promised, fingers clasped together once more.

“Good.” Purposefully, Satoru turned and put his back to Jinki as he started appraising the room.

Being ignored gave him even less reason to stay and Jinki finally managed to drag himself away. In the foyer, he glared at the mural on the wall, resentment boiling up for the Dragon Priests that had set everything up to lead them where they were now. Maybe it wasn’t originally intentional, but it didn’t change the fact they shared a large part of the blame for the current situation. Tearing his gaze away, he stepped back into the common area and looked around for any nearby runners. Nope. No such luck, but they were usually easy enough to find. With that in mind, Jinki jogged off to deliver the latest instructions and expectations.

For the rest of the day, the Aerie was abuzz with people and dragons moving about. The remaining residents and Masters helped to pack and move whatever supplies and goods they wanted to have ferried down – within reason of course. Luxury items were forbidden for the time being, citing limited space and necessity first. The riders not on patrol loaded their dragons up and helped guide their companions to their shelter at the base of the mountain. Controlled falling with heavy loads was much easier than bringing anything up so they were in strangely good spirits, all things considered.

No one was left out of the movement either. The eldest residents were moved below first to supervise from the ground and the youngest remained above to help with packing and running messages, leaving the experienced runners free to help with greater efficiency. Even the Paramours were pulling their own weight, helping carry what they could and encouraging others when they couldn’t. Hyosung and Heechul worked as a pair, perfectly in tandem, while Gain guided Andy to assist her. The gold was finally getting back on his feet and beginning to function again. According to the Paramour, he was past the crisis point and it would simply take time now for him to come to terms with the loss of his rider.

The Healers were especially busy, running amidst the humans and dragons, making sure they weren’t working themselves too hard. Hyesung looked overworked as usual, but Mimi, Henry and Himchan were also particularly ragged. Then again, Junjin looked similarly. He’d coerced a handful of the younger ones to help him carry food and drinks in the middle of everyone. He’d always maintained that an Aerie couldn’t run on an empty stomach and with all the work they were putting in, fluids were equally important.

Jolin and Kibum were fluttering nervous messes as they panicked over the care and transportation of the books. Amber had to spend more time working to calm the Master Historian than actually helping her peers, but by then, everyone else was doing what they could. Seunghyun seemed to be a one man army as he hauled what he deemed important training and defense gear out of the salle. Minsoo, Baekho, and Soohyun worked in close proximity as they sorted through the stall goods they had and roped in various runners or trainees to help them gather their supplies for travel.

And through it all, Jinki found himself either running to the Aerie Master’s office and helping Satoru or pausing here and there to speak with the various residents and riders of the Aerie. They all needed some kind of reassurance or additional instruction or confirmation and the majority were looking to him for it. The extra attention and pressure was overwhelming enough, but it was compounded by a growing anxiety in him that he couldn’t explain. A phantom sensation that made it harder to breathe and stay calm.

_Hold it together,_ he told himself firmly, swallowing hard. _It’s just a little longer,_ he added with a glance at the sky. Night was coming and it would be foolish to try and move things in the dark.

“You’re doing well. Keep up the good work,” to a young runner who was tired and lagging.

“I don’t know any more than you do, but the riders will do their best to protect us all and come back to you. I promise,” he encouraged an emotional resident worried about her absent lover.

“Is this everything?” he asked of Satoru who looked at him with piteous but understanding eyes as they finished moving the important items out of the office.

“I’m sure you’ll find a way to keep the records safe, Master Daehyun,” he stated confidently when the Trade Master came to him regarding all of their information about trading partners, trading histories, changing prices and commodities with the connecting cities, and everything else that Jinki usually looked to him to help make final monetary decisions about.

His last question was like a nail being hammered in his head and it took everything Jinki had not to wince or snap back. “Master Mimi. If you don’t think Jungsu is safe to leave unattended at the moment, I recommend you leave him here and then move him when you move. Whenever that may be,” he explained, obviously giving the other man permission for whatever was bothering him.

But Jinki decided that was all he could take for now and, as everyone else was finishing up and clearing out, he escaped, fleeing to his room. He still felt overwhelmed and the anxious feeling hadn’t gone away, though it was less than it had been earlier. Under normal circumstances, he would have been fine. Probably. He knew that. He was no stranger to pressure and had weathered a great many events previously, but everything was decidedly too much right now. And he was alone, a fact that bit harder every time he thought about it. Lying on the bed, curled into a ball on top of the covers, it physically hurt that Taekwoon wasn’t there. He didn’t even need to say anything. Jinki just wanted to feel his arms, feel that tactile connection and know that someone was there for him. No matter how hard he hugged himself tight and tried to imagine it was his other half, he couldn’t convince himself.

Wound up at much as he was, sleep was impossible. So was peace for that matter. And the worrying thoughts simply swirled around and around in his mind, like vultures waiting for something to break. He wasn’t sure how much time had gone by before he came out of his fugue enough to realize he heard a knock on his door. Feeling worn out, mentally and physically exhausted, he had no idea who it might be and no care to call out. It was impossible it was the one person he wanted so it didn’t really matter. It was probably someone else coming for something from him and he struggled to pull himself together enough to actually be presentable. He was the Aerie Master after all…

But when he opened the door in defeated resignation, he was surprised to see a red haired Paramour standing in the doorway. “Heechul,” he blinked in dumbfounded surprise. Out of all the people possible, he was certainly not one Jinki would have expected.

“Oh Jinki,” he sighed with a sad smile as he reached a well cared for hand to smooth messy locks down and brush the backs of his fingers against the other man’s cheek.

The simple gesture of focused attention and gentle contact nearly undid him. “What are you doing here?” he couldn’t help but ask, standing as if rooted in place, mind a whirlwind of fractured possibilities.

“I’m here to check on you,” Heechul assured him, letting his hand drift down Jinki’s arm so he could grab the loose limb, lift it up and pat it with his other.

Jinki laughed, but it came out like more of a sob and he immediately shut his mouth, forcing a smile he didn’t feel. “I’m fine,” he lied, desperately trying to hold to the façade of being the confident Aerie Master.

“Really?” the Paramour scoffed with a raised brow and then a roll of his eyes. An amused laugh followed with a shake of his head. “You did well today, Aerie Master,” he conceded with an almost mocking bow. “But when you’re around people as much as we are, some things are quite noticeable. I will admit that we were pleasantly surprised you didn’t fall apart at the seams in public though,” he added with real approval in his tone.

“We?” Jinki asked, flailing mentally as he struggled to make this moment make sense.

“Gain and Hyosung,” he answered as if it should have been obvious.

Really, it should have been, but Jinki’s thoughts were anything but normal just then. “Ah.” It was a pitiful response.

Heechul seemed to realize he was struggling considerably more than usual and he tilted his head to the side and sighed with a breathy chuckle. “Come here,” he soothed, stepping forward as he pulled Jinki’s hand towards him. Long arms wrapped around Jinki’s shoulders and held him close, their heads resting together comfortably.

They were of the same height so it felt strange compared to Taekwoon, who was a bit taller, but Jinki’s head was stuck circling the problem of intentions and he stiffened instead of relaxing into the embrace. “I can’t…” he trailed off, hands lightly braced on the Paramour’s waist as if to push him away.

Once again, Heechul laughed and shook his head. “I’m not here for that. Honestly,” he exhaled in mild exasperation. “I will give you a pass this time though.” Jinki’s confusion must have been palpable as Heechul explained for him, “For not remembering a Paramour’s full purpose. We’re not just here for pleasure, Aerie Master.” It was a gentle admonishment because it was something that Jinki should have remembered. “Sometimes we just listen and sometimes we just comfort. If you wish for pleasure, I would be happy to oblige, but I am not Taekwoon,” he promised with a voice that seemed moderately glad of that truth. “I am, however,” he added, pushing Jinki away so he could look at him plainly, “worried about our Aerie Master who is _clearly_ overwhelmed and apparently has no one to turn to right now.” His one raised brow and pursed lips spoke volumes.

Jinki’s bottom lip trembled despite his best efforts and a whimper escaped when he tried to say something in response. Heechul’s expression softened and he opened his arms invitingly. The younger man stepped into the welcoming embrace and held tight, taking deep shuddering breaths as the maelstrom of his heart and mind gradually slowed down.

Gentle hands stroked his head and back in long, calming motions before moving them indoors so he could close the door. “I will stay until you fall asleep. Alright?” he asked, the soft vibrations fluttering against Jinki’s throat and shoulder.

He nodded mutely in response and kept his eyes closed as he blindly followed the Paramour’s movements. Settling on the bed was slightly awkward and it felt off, as the man with him was _not_ Taekwoon, but it was comforting, even if it was a lie. If he kept his eyes closed, he could at least _pretend_ his other half was with him. Apparently, it was enough.

True to his word, when Jinki woke in the morning, Heechul was gone and he had no memory of the Paramour doing anything other than holding him until he fell asleep. A tiny part of him felt guilty – if anything, he probably should have gone to the Paramour’s quarters – but the larger part of him was grateful. And rested. And hopefully ready for whatever the day would bring.


	52. And Then There Were Three

For all that Insoo had listened well and thoughtfully, he still had little power in getting Taekwoon out of his solitary confinement situation. It was near dark when he returned to bring food and his verdict to the contained rider. Insoo exhaled in frustration and set the food on the side table before he plopped down on the floor and scrubbed at his hair.

Taekwoon glanced at the tray of bread and some kind of thin soup before taking a breath. “That good, huh?”

“My hands are tied,” Insoo scowled as he gestured with his palms up.

“Ah,” the other rider murmured, picking up the hunk of bread to nibble on it. He wasn’t hungry but he needed food. Plus, it gave him something to do so he wouldn’t have to think of something to say immediately. He figured the wing leader would add more information anyway and he wasn’t wrong.

“The worst of the dragons are gone, thank Bahamut, but the Fantor and Marsh Rest forces haven’t given up yet,” he grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest, face shadowed with dark thoughts. “Taecyeon demanded we get a break today. Rest up. Lick our wounds,” he snorted with a glance at the various bandages on his person. “On the morrow, we’re expected to join the fray again.” His mouth twisted in distaste. “Never thought we’d have to fight humans,” he admitted. “Not like this anyway,” he added with a heavy sigh, picking at his fingers distractedly.

Taekwoon mulled over what he’d heard and set the hunk of bread on his thigh. “Who all will be going?”

“Anyone that can fly. Within reason,” Insoo responded, adding the second half quickly. “Just as well you’re injured,” the wing leader shook his head and glanced at the spot where he knew the other man had been stabbed.

Reflexively, Taekwoon reached a hand to press against the wound hidden under his loose shirt, grateful it didn’t hurt so much as long as he didn’t move. “I take it I won’t be going,” he winced, feeling strangely drained. He’d napped most of the time he was left alone, but his sleep wasn’t restful by any means. There seemed to be a permanent pit of anxiety burrowing in his belly and he couldn’t calm it, no matter what he tried.

“Even if you weren’t injured, given your volatility today, I wouldn’t be able to convince anyone you might not snap on them right now,” he grimaced. “I have a pretty good idea of what you’re dealing with and even _I’d_ be a little hesitant,” Insoo admitted softly, his shrug apologetic.

“I still don’t remember what I did. Not really,” Taekwoon sighed, gut twisting with the fear of the memories themselves. Part of him wanted to know and the rest… didn’t. Being compared to a rogue dragon was explanation enough and yet, it still didn’t capture what he figured the true horror of it was.

Insoo gave him a sad look and nodded, choosing not to respond to his comment. “The wings are all a bit shaken,” he explained, his expression turning slightly haunted by the admission. “Jinyoung’s wing is…” he trailed off with a grimace.

“Broken,” Taekwoon finished for him dejectedly, having gleaned tidbits from what Jonghyun would tell him, even if that information was limited. He knew his dragon was keeping information from him to protect him, but it was still frustrating.

“For lack of a better word,” he conceded, glancing at him sideways out of the corner of his eye. “Most of us have fought in some kind of skirmish but this… this was new. They didn’t really know what they were getting into and having lost two dragons and… Jeongmin,” he exhaled. “They’ll be sitting the morrow out. I’m not even sure they’ll come back with us to the Aerie at this point.”

“That’s… fair,” Taekwoon mumbled with a hollow voice, taking a bite of bread and focusing on chewing. He hadn’t been sure what they would do, but he couldn’t blame them for wanting to bow out if they could. The thought had crossed his mind too, albeit very briefly, though his circumstances were considerably different. Not that it mattered in the end. Whatever they might face at the Aerie would probably be worse after all.

With tired grace, Insoo pushed himself off the ground and stood up so he could look down at Taekwoon with a searching expression. “Are you sure you’re good?” he asked simply, obviously looking for something.

“For now,” Taekwoon nodded, knowing it was all he could promise. Given what had happened, he didn’t know _how_ he was, but right now, he was okay. Or at least he hoped that was the feeling he was reading.

_No dragon. Just anxious,_ Jonghyun encouraged, helping to soothe that worry.

“Alright,” his wing leader nodded slowly, shuffling in place as if he wasn’t sure what else to say. “We’re gonna try to free the city from the siege on the morrow, but if we can’t, we’ll still be leaving in the afternoon or evening. We’ve done what we came to do. Now we need to get back to the Aerie as soon as possible.”

“Agreed,” the other rider exhaled with a nod. “Soo?” he asked hesitantly, not sure if they were close enough for the nickname but not really caring at the moment.

“Yeah?” he asked, face curious as he waited for the question.

“Will I get to go home too?” he had to ask, belly clenching with uncertainty at the possibility it might be no.

Insoo’s automatic smile was reassuring. “Even if I have to hog tie you and carry you on Gunwoo with me, you’re coming home with us. I promise.”

“Thanks,” Taekwoon whispered, the word barely making it past his lips as relief flooded him.

“Jinki would probably kill me if I didn’t anyway,” his wing leader added with just a hint of humor.

Taekwoon barked a single laugh and shook his head. “More like a scolding.”

“Bad enough,” he admitted with an open shrug and a head tilt. “For now, just take it easy. Try to get some rest and maybe figure out what’s going on with you again,” he suggested, the words rushed but not unkind.

“I will,” he answered quietly, subdued once more. “And thanks again, Soo.”

His wing leader’s face softened and he smiled. “No thanks needed, Taekwoon. You’re one of mine after all. Just… maybe try not to cause so much trouble in the future,” he added with a quick wink.

“Yes, sir,” Taekwoon responded by rote, feeling the ghost of a smile appear on his face. He watched the wing leader step out of the room and then he heard his dragon speak.

_Not all bad news,_ his dragon comforted carefully.

_No, but not really good news either,_ he countered with a mental sigh. None of this day had come with good news. A total of eight dragons and riders dead, thirteen with major injuries, including himself, and most of the rest suffering from some kind of minor injuries… the news was not good for them. Add to that the strange appearance of his dragon half and it was a recipe for regret and anxiety. Regret for what he knew he’d done, remembered or otherwise, and anxiety for what had happened plus whatever could still happen… His dragon half was quiet for now, but that didn’t mean it would stay that way. And unlike with Jonghyun, he didn’t know how to meet his dragon half to try and figure things out.

_Eat first. Then maybe talk. You need strength for when we go home,_ his dragon reminded him simply, the gentle command a well timed reminder.

“Yeah, yeah,” he grumbled audibly before tossing the rest of the bread in the soup so it could soften a bit. At least he had a window to look out of. Chewing on the soggy bread, he wondered how Jinki was doing. On the back of that thought, he sincerely hoped nothing was happening at the Aerie while he wasn’t there. On the heels of that mute query, he could feel Jonghyun there, but refraining from saying something. _What?_ he prompted, amused by his dragon’s attempt at patience and tact.

_Mate fine,_ he promised instead.

Skeptical, Taekwoon’s eyes narrowed and he countered, _How do you know?_

 _Mate says. Would know. Probably,_ he added just in case. _If something big, you probably know too._

_Yeah?_

_Distance make hard to hear, but still feel,_ he explained with a very clear mental image of the dragon tapping his chest with his talons.

The explanation was as comforting as it was worrisome. Hopefully his mate wasn’t feeling any of the worry and anxiety he was dealing with here. Or worse, he could only hope this sensation wasn’t coming from Jinki himself. It was miserable. At the very least, he did manage to finish eating, though the food sat heavy in his stomach. Frustratingly, he was also tired but restless. He wanted to get out and lie down next to Jonghyun. Being close to his dragon always made him feel more grounded, but… yep. The door was locked and he saw the liveried color of a Kokoshir guard on duty so no talking around that one.

“Ugh,” he groaned softly as he resigned himself to a night of solitude. Relatively speaking. He still had Jonghyun and Jongup nearby, even if he couldn’t feel them physically. And since there was nothing for him to do in the meantime, sleep would probably be a good idea to at least try.

But as he lie there, forcing his body to relax, his head seemed to clear. Or rather… his memories. He flinched as bloody ghosts came to life in his mind. Anxiousness twisted like a dagger in his gut as he relived the moment of his first kill, feeling the lack of resistance as his blade passed through a living body. With a sickened gasp, he sat up and took a steadying breath, blinking hard to banish the mental image. His cheeks were cold and he brushed trembling hands at them. They came away damp.

_Rider?_ The question surprised him and he flinched at the mental inquiry.

_Memories,_ he admitted after a short pause. He could feel them coming to life in his mind as he had nothing left to distract him. _Dragon?_ he asked, suddenly afraid.

Jonghyun hesitated and then answered, _There but… waiting._

_For what?_

_Don’t know._

_Jong?_

_Yes?_

_I’m scared,_ he admitted in a small voice. This was new and unpredictable and he didn’t know how it was going to end.

He felt his dragon weigh his words before trying to speak. _No shame in surviving, rider. Ugly. But… you live._

 _But…_ he whispered, staring at his open palms in the fading light, fingers twitching. _I killed people and dragons. I_ hurt _them,_ he emphasized with horror, feeling revulsion as a part of him reveled in it.

_Yes. You did,_ the dragon agreed without any judgement in his voice. _Cannot change past, rider. Only now important._

 _I don’t want it!_ he howled, fingers clawing into his arms.

Jonghyun was quiet for several breaths before he whispered, _I’m here. Mate here. Cannot save you from this, but… not abandon. You rider. I dragon. Not change._

Taekwoon ducked his head into his fists and tried not to cry. That was not what he wanted to hear. While his dragon didn’t cut him off entirely, he didn’t speak to him again. For marks, the rider stared at his thin pillow like it was some kind of monster. He knew if he laid down again, his memories would resurface and he didn’t want that. He didn’t want to know… But… he was tired. And hurting. And it would be a very long night and day if he tried to simply stay awake for all of it.

With a broken sob, he finally reconciled himself to whatever was coming. He couldn’t escape it anyway. As his head touched the pillow and his body started to relax, he felt something waking. Taekwoon panicked for a heartbeat as his dragon half stirred long enough to grab his consciousness and drag him into forced slumber state. He did not sleep, but neither was he awake. Not really, and on the edges of his awareness, he could feel Jonghyun and Jongup, watching, waiting, but neither made any effort to pull him free.

Now, it was nothing but him, his dragon half, and their shared memories.

Through the night, Taekwoon drifted in a half conscious state but he battled as well, trying to reconcile Taekwoon the man with Taekwoon the dragon. The dragon dredged every memory of the kills and injuries into view with pride and satisfaction. It was like he was saying, _Look! See our strength! See how we have protected those in our wing!_

And all Taekwoon could feel was horror and nausea at the cold and ruthless nature of his dragon half. Riders died and dragons were slain or maimed by his hands. Human hands with a dragon’s rage. Over and over again, his riding hook found purchase, his blade found a body, and his human heart wept. This was not what he was meant to do.

_This is not me!_ he cried in denial.

_I_ am _you!_ his dragon half howled, the sound feeling as if it twisted into his very soul.

Raging, a new voice bulled into them, snarling, _Not_ him _! Us!_ The last word was a long, drawn out hiss like a challenge.

_Jong…_ he whispered plaintively, stumbling towards the new voice before stopping. In this dream space, there was no sense of bodies. He recognized a presence that was his, his dragon half, and his dragon, but there were no visual markers. That didn’t stop him from coming to a dizzying understanding. The dragon half was _of_ Jonghyun and Taekwoon. It was the fragment of a dragon’s soul in a human’s body given life and thought. And in battle, it was constantly vying for dominance. For it _was_ stronger. It was more prepared for combat. For doing what was necessary to protect what was _his._

He did not weigh the cost of a life, the pain of loss for a dragon or rider. He only recognized what it would take to win. The chaos of battle and the fury of retribution for daring to fly against him.

_This is not us!_ he keened at last, feeling wrung out and broken. His rage had long since abated and all he felt, as a man, was sickness. But the dragon part of him denied his weakness. He refuted it with fury. Practically attacked him for his softness and inability to do what was necessary to protect those he claimed to care about.

Taekwoon felt like he was drowning. It was a struggle to breathe. To think. To do anything more than to resist the most basic instincts of his dragon half. _This is not us,_ he cried again, metaphorically hunched down low as he tried to protect himself from the other half of himself.

_US!_ Jonghyun challenged into the void, his reverberating call reaching into Taekwoon’s chest to pull his head up and making his dragon half pause.

_Us?_ it echoed in brief confusion. The tone seemed to indicate it had never even considered the possibility.

_Us!_ Taekwoon urged ‘standing’ upright. _Dragon and man,_ he explained, gesturing between himself and where his dragon should be.

_No! Dragon!_ his dragon half growled, digging in for a fight.

Taekwoon shared a connection, an understanding with his dragon. Not surprisingly, they agreed. _US!_ they roared in tandem as the duo lunged for Taekwoon’s dragon half, metaphorically locking claws with him.

It felt like an eternity before Taekwoon’s, and only Taekwoon’s, consciousness rose to the fore. But waking brought no real peace either. His body ached, he felt cold from the inside out, and his eyes stung when he opened them to the late morning light. “Ugh…” he groaned, wincing against the illumination as he turned his head away.

“Taekwoon?” he heard, the voice soft and familiar and very much someone he didn’t really want to see right now.

“Chaerin,” he murmured in a whisper, squinting against the unfortunately bright light to see her worried face looming over his.

“Easy,” she soothed, reaching for his forehead with her right hand and pulling a damp cloth away. She winced at the motion and switched hands before dipping the fabric in a water bowl and wringing it out. “You were having fever dreams,” she murmured, eyes glancing at him quickly as if to say she didn’t think that was entirely true.

“More than that,” he gasped, fighting the urge to cough or be sick. The cloth was almost too cool when she placed it back on his forehead though, dabbing at the overheated skin gently.

“What happened?” she asked, her voice barely louder than a whisper.

He didn’t feel too eager to explain and his lips thinned mutely. But reaching for his dragons, he inhaled quickly and felt like he was falling. “My dragons?” he exhaled, making a half-hearted and doomed effort to sit up before his own body revolted and Chaerin’s hand stopped him, pressing his shoulders back to the bed.

“They’re fine,” Chaerin urged as she leveraged her weight to make sure he stayed down. He flinched from the unexpected pressure but then looked at her intently, waiting. “Jonghyun is sleeping. Fei mentioned he might not have gotten much last night before I came to see you.”

Taekwoon turned his head to the side and coughed once, as much to keep from crying as not. He felt hot and tired and drained. And now Chaerin was here, of all people. “Why _are_ you here?” he had to ask, looking back at her with narrowed eyes.

“Well,” she sniffed once and shrugged. “The Healer said it was just a fever and everyone else is… busy,” she added, biting her bottom lip. “But I’ve learned nothing with you ever seems to be simple and… I’ve got nothing better to do. Besides,” she whispered with a shake of her head. “The other riders are fighting and my kin are…” Her voice trailed off before she took a shaky breath and wiped at her eyes. “I’ve got nothing better to do,” she admitted almost jokingly, but her hand on his chest was almost reverent. That more than anything bade him hold his tongue. “I mean, it’s also the least I can do for you helping me. Again,” she scoffed, rather like she was annoyed with herself.

“I helped you?” he wondered aloud, the surprise pulling the words from him before he meant to set them free.

Chaerin smiled at him and nodded. “And many others,” she promised sincerely. “Oh, you were terrible to see. More dragon than man. Just like a rogue that you’ve recently been compared to,” she explained with gentle care. Taekwoon winced at the reminder and she shook her head, moving her hand up to grip his shoulder. “It was frightening, but not once did you turn your fury against any of us. There is something to be said for that.”

Taekwoon took a deep breath and swallowed thickly, closing his eyes. That was good news at least. Thinking about it, he hadn’t seen any of their dragons or allies in his sights during the night, so she was likely correct. It just didn’t seem enough though. He laughed once, a bitter sound, and opened his eyes again. “Every time I think I have something figured out, I’m proven wrong,” he spoke, voice tight with unshed emotion.

”I can’t pretend to understand what you’re going through, but I do know that you’re still you,” she promised, taking a short moment to look down at him.

He looked at her with narrowed eyes and then shivered. “Ugh, this is miserable,” he admitted with a pained swallow, the sensation of malaise just weighing on every part of him.

“Then get better,” she encouraged, changing the cloth on his brow while he glared at her mutely. “You look like you’re past the worst of it,” she explained, pressing the backs of her fingers against his cheeks before he could flinch away. “You looked much worse before you woke up.” Another silent glare followed that statement and she snorted with a shake of her head. “Well. I’m gonna go get you some food and water at least. Try not to do anything foolish while I’m gone,” she teased lightly, a hesitant smile pulling at her lips.

“Hah,” he half-coughed a laugh and then wrinkled his nose when it hurt more than he thought it would. Chaerin left after giving him a final thoughtful look, leaving him to his solitude and his thoughts once more. They weren’t as troubled as before though. He still couldn’t reach Jonghyun but their bond was there, strong and reassuring. Jongup’s was too, albeit weaker, as per usual. And there… was his dragon half, slumbering beneath the surface. He stirred when Taekwoon brushed a feather soft thought against him but did not wake, content to sleep for the moment. That was good enough for Taekwoon.

For the rest of the morning and into the afternoon, he rested and slept, eating more thin soup and drinking as much water as Chaerin could badger into him. His dragons woke – all of them – during that time and the copper and blue made sure he was alright in turn. Through them, he heard about the actions of the wings, and was able to let Chaerin know when they would be leaving, within a certain time frame, that afternoon. She either couldn’t or wouldn’t tell him about what she knew of the wings but was surprised by his news.

It was just as well to Taekwoon. He was starting to come out of the sick haze and with the clarity came a disconcerting sense of foreboding and unease. It was possible it had been adding to his general poor health all day, but until this moment, he hadn’t been aware of it. When he asked Jonghyun about it, the copper didn’t know for sure. Something was off but he couldn’t say what. As he sat up in bed slowly, Taekwoon touched his chest, uncertainty writ on his face. What he was feeling was coming from his dragon half. Born from Jonghyun but grown into something else in Taekwoon, it was something that was of them but separate too. A third entity, more dragon than man, but twistedly adhered to Taekwoon’s values. And all too unpredictable for his liking, but right now, it was telling him that something was coming or perhaps already happening.

“We have to get ready,” he hissed through clenched teeth as he swung his legs over the bed and struggled to stand.

“Easy,” Chaerin cautioned while she moved to his side to support him.

He wanted to push her away with the idea that he didn’t need her help, but as soon as he got to his feet, he realized how strangely weak he was. Taekwoon bit his tongue and fumed about his condition. Worst timing ever… “We need to go,” he murmured determinedly.

One arm over her shoulder and her hands bracing his waist, Chaerin blinked at him. “Are the riders returning? Has there been word?”

“No,” he scowled darkly. “But we need to go now. Please,” he asked in a clipped voice. “Tell Insoo. He will… understand,” Taekwoon admitted with his head ducked.

She gave him a skeptical look for a moment, he could feel her eyes appraising him, before she sighed and carefully stepped away. “Don’t hurt yourself while I’m gone,” she warned firmly, a finger pointed at him as she pursed her lips in dissatisfaction over his condition.

“Go,” he urged again, awkwardly gesturing towards the door and stopping just before he upset his very precarious balance.

“Ugh,” she groaned, rolling her eyes with a breathy exhale before she left in a hurry.

Shuffling to the door at a snail’s pace, Taekwoon peered outside and felt unfairly outraged by the sheer lack of urgency anywhere in sight. Another guard stood in front of his door but no one was rushing in the hallways. Hobbling to the window, he endured the same disappointment since life within Kokoshir appeared to continue mostly as it had. Of course he had a limited view but people still wandered the streets, though in smaller numbers if the sound of their voices was any indication.

Too much time passed between when Chaerin left and someone else came. Taekwoon could feel it and it knotted his insides up terribly. The sound of his door opening made him spin around too quickly, losing his balance so that he started to tilt to the side in awkward panic.

“Whoa!” a welcome voice yelped as footsteps quickly tapped into the room. As embarrassed as he was to be caught, Taekwoon was inordinately glad to hear and see Insoo. His Wing Leader braced him against his chest with a bemused expression and mentioned, “At least I know I don’t need to secure you for the flight home.”

Awareness of his vulnerability vanished in light of those words and Taekwoon gasped, “Are we leaving now?”

“Soon,” Insoo encouraged, easing Taekwoon back into a self-standing position.

Frustration and worry bit hard again. “Now would be better,” he explained in agitation, hands balling into fists in lieu of pacing.

“What’s wrong? Chaerin said you felt something,” Insoo prompted, staying close, just in case.

“Something,” Taekwoon agreed hurriedly. “I just…” he trailed off, forcing himself to calm down. The constant sensation in the back of his mind could have been making the situation worse, but if he couldn’t at least give a reason, it would be for naught anyway. “Can we leave first? Just in case?” he asked, licking his lips before biting the bottom one. Insoo’s brow rose and he went on, “I know there are things to be finalized but surely, with the wilds cleared from the area,” he reasoned, “a small group can go immediately.”

Insoo looked at him for a long moment, eyes tracing over him intently. “Are you fit to ride?” he asked simply.

“Even if I have to tie myself into the harness, yes,” he responded immediately, knowing he might well have to. His injuries and recent illness made him a poor rider indeed.

“Foolish rider,” Insoo snorted once, lightly shaking his head. “Come on then. Let’s go,” he commanded, turning and heading towards the door, his pace slower than usual but still hard to match.

Taekwoon grimaced and moved in his wake. One after the other, they existed the room and had started walking before the guard stopped them. “Halt! He’s not to leave the room until we hear from the King.”

Both stopped but it was Insoo that turned to look at the guard with icy eyes. “As none of his actions harmed any of Kokoshir’s forces, what happens to a dragonrider of Bahamut’s Aerie – judgement, punishment or otherwise – is Aerie business. _Not_ Kokoshir’s,” he stated simply, one hand drifting to the pommel of his sword to rest there lightly, like a bird.

“But-”

“You may tell the King as much,” Insoo interrupted with a nudge on Taekwoon’s back to get him moving. He clearly waited for Taekwoon to start walking, his gaze trained on the guard, before he said, “Good day,” and turned to join his wing member. “Just keep walking,” he stated with his eyes focused straight ahead.

“I’m glad you’re on my side,” Taekwoon murmured with the ghost of a laugh.

“I told you. You’re one of mine. Of course I’m on your side. Just stop getting into trouble one of these days. Okay?” he pushed with a sidelong expression that had the younger rider edging away just a touch.

“Yes, sir,” he responded without even thinking about it.

It still took too long for Taekwoon’s liking, but with Insoo as his guide and then as his Wing Leader, he was able to convince acting Captain Taecyeon to let them leave as a vanguard. If nothing else, should something actually be happening at the Aerie, they could let the Aerie Master know that at least three wings would be following shortly. Taecyeon agreed on the promise that Taekwoon particularly would be his responsibility. Heavens bless him, Insoo promised without hesitation. Taekwoon took it for granted that his wing mates signed on as soon as their Wing Leader did. He didn’t realize until after he saw them glance at him, expressions curious or uncertain or neutral, and then turn to get ready themselves, securing their harnesses and making sure they had everything without a complaining word.

In less than half a mark, Insoo’s original wing took to the air with Chaerin on Fei and Hyunseong on Kwangmin in attendance. Chaerin simply explained that she would be coming regardless of what they said and Hyunseong followed her example, pain and the need for a new objective or target obvious in his face.

Under the circumstances, Taekwoon knew they were leaving as soon as possible, but it still didn’t feel fast enough. The foreboding and unease only continued to increase and the problem was compounded soon after when Jonghyun admitted that he was starting to feel it too. _What is it?_ he asked his dragon soon after they got into the air.

_Don’t know,_ the copper answered in frustration. _Don’t like. Worried._

That made Taekwoon cringe internally. _Me too,_ he admitted, feeling like he was in the wrong place at the worst possible time.


	53. Finally Time

The Aerie was beginning to feel more like a haunted ghost town: quiet and dreary until a human or dragon flickered by. With the time in the morning, they’d managed to finish moving most of the rest of the important items and crates. Now, some were being allowed to take potential luxuries. The majority of older residents were already staying down below while the younger ones had opted to stay in their homes, hiding or going over what they might be able to take with them, just in case.

Part of Jinki thought he might have been overcautious in his decision, but Satoru at least supported his stance. ‘It is better to be wrong and nothing happen than to be right and people die.’ He still didn’t know if it was the right choice, but he did feel better about having some of them out of the way of immediate danger. At the least, the older residents and injured dragons were ‘safe,’ whatever that might mean in the near future.

Yet, as the day wore on, he could not banish the heavy cloud that seemed to settle over him. The weather was fine enough – no storms in the offing – and there was no sign yet of trouble… but he felt unsettled all the same. Slightly offbeat footsteps let him know who was approaching him from behind before they arrived.

He hid a smile when Satoru’s voice drifted over his shoulder, “Looks like we’re as ready as we’re going to be.”

“Ah,” Jinki nodded in agreement, turning to face the older Aerie Master with nervousness swirling in his belly. “But will it be enough?” he wondered, biting his bottom lip worriedly.

Satoru didn’t hide his grimace as he looked over the Aerie and then to the northern horizon. “No one knows what the future holds, Jinki,” he offered, one hand reaching out to rest lightly on the younger man’s shoulder, though his gaze remained trained on the distance. “All we can do is prepare for it and move towards that future as best we can.”

“I know,” Jinki sighed, shoulders drooping under that very problem. The not knowing was the hardest part of everything. He took a steadying breath and looked up, but realized Satoru’s gaze had not wavered. “What is it?” he asked, turning to squint in the direction his mentor was staring.

Satoru’s deep breath and slow exhale was not comforting. Neither was his response. “The future,” he murmured dispassionately.

Jinki clenched his fists and focused again, dread coiling in his chest as he saw them – figures fluttering in the distance. They were too far away to tell who they were, but… dragons were en route. Given what they knew… “I’ll let the others know they need to move below,” he explained simply, voice tight as he tried to convey confidence. “You should go below now too, Satoru,” he added gently, one foot turned to leave but his body facing the older man.

“Oh no,” Satoru chuckled with dry amusement as he shook his head. “You might be the Aerie Master now, but this is my Aerie, youngling. I’ll see it through, whatever comes.”

“Satoru…” the younger man trailed off, conflicted.

“Go. I’ll be here when you’ve finished. Seunghyun has promised to help as long as he can as well,” he promised simply. “I can’t guarantee he’ll stay. Sunny ordered he come back to her after all,” he chuckled, the sound genuine and hopeful.

“Ah,” Jinki allowed himself to smile. “Good to know,” he murmured with a nod. “Very well. I’ll be off then,” he explained, waving at Satoru once before he jogged away to deliver messages until he could find a runner or two to help him. He didn’t see the sad visage that appeared briefly as Satoru’s well crafted mask slipped.

By the time he was finished, sending runners to find the remaining residents and having dragons ferry others to keep those below informed, Jinki could better see the approaching figures in the late afternoon light. They were a small collection of dragons, but he thought he could see riders on them. Mixed feelings blossomed as he believed he saw the Stardust Battalion colors as well. But his heart skipped a beat when he thought he also saw an enormous shadow move at the very edge of his sight.

Satoru hadn’t moved from his original spot, but this time Seunghyun and Heechul had joined him, watching the approaching dragons with stoic expressions. For Jinki’s benefit, the Combat Master glanced at him once and then pointed at the collection. “That has to be Commander Yunho. The silver in the lead should be Hero.”

“There are so few though,” Heechul commented, not bothering to hide the sadness in his tone.

Jinki could see it now too. Whereas he’d watched twelve wings depart from the Aerie, far less than half were returning… And there it was again. He flinched at the flicker of movement in the distance once more.

“There she is,” Satoru exhaled quietly, his voice carefully neutral.

“Bigger than I thought she’d be,” Seunghyun commented with a raised brow and an uncertain head tilt.

“Size isn’t everything,” Heechul quipped, a quirk pulling the corner of his mouth up.

Both Seunghyun and Satoru snorted and Jinki was left in dumbfounded amazement that anyone could be joking in such a situation. “What do we do now?” he wondered, trapped in a reality he wasn’t truly prepared for.

“We wait until the riders arrive. They’ll get here before dark and that will likely buy us some time,” Seunghyun commented, eyes narrowed as he tried to measure the distance.

“You don’t think Tiamat will try to attack at night?” Jinki asked, relief warring with panic.

“Depends on what she wants to do,” the Combat Master admitted with a shake of his head. “Dragons see better than we do at night, but the conditions are not good for a clean battle.”

“No. She won’t want to hurt the dragons if she can help it,” Satoru added with a sigh. “They’re her children after all. It’s us that she couldn’t care less about.” His expression flattened and he took another breath. “Ah. There they go,” he murmured, seeing half of the wings they had stationed here take to the air to meet the incoming riders. The other four took up a protective position around the Aerie, circling slowly.

A black dragon landed nearby and startled Jinki so that he turned to see Jongin on Krystal. Joy jumped off the dragon and bounded over to the collection of Masters, stopping just short. “Most everyone has been evacuated and settled below. There are a few stragglers but as long as some of the other dragons can help before dark, we can finish today,” she promised in a breathy rush, her attention fractured between them and the incoming dragons.

“Good. Thank you for the information,” Jinki smiled, giving her a reassuring nod and gesturing towards the rider. “We’ll wait for them to land and then decide how to split up the rest of the dragons for assistance,” he promised, giving her a sidelong look before motioning for her to depart.

“Yes, sir,” she bowed, a quick and hurried gesture, and then stepped back to get on Krystal once more. Jongin helped her up with a steady hand and practiced ease before patting the black dragon and taking flight.

The Masters shielded their eyes from the dust but then turned their attention to the incoming wings. “Now we wait,” Satoru mused, chewing the inside of his lip thoughtfully.

The returning dragons finally arrived before the dark of night set in. Even in the dim light, it was easy to see there were more riders than dragons, a fair few riding double on the largest dragons. Commander Yunho directed his riders to land first, staying in the air longest as he circled the rest of the members protectively. His gaze often turned towards the north, visage pale and worried. Only once every other wing mate was settled did Hero land, the great silver dragon simply collapsing to the ground in exhaustion when his clawed feet touched down.

Despite the gravity of the situation, or maybe because of it, Satoru bade Jinki stay with him, remaining in place while Masters Seunghyun and Heechul hurried to help however they could. Masters Mimi and Hyesung were already there, flitting between the numerous, but far too few, riders and dragons, and all the able bodied hands that were available had poured out of the Aerie already. They were friends and neighbors as much as they were worried and curious residents after all.

Trembling under Satoru’s firm grip, Jinki was devastated. Each and every one of them that had returned looked hurt in some way. If not physically, then certainly in spirit, which was just as bad. Exhaustion weighed heavy on all of them, laying dragons out against the limits of their strength and making even seasoned riders weep. His chest felt tight and his eyes burned until the grip on his arm turned painful and he flinched, looking at Satoru in surprise.

“You can feel, Jinki. We are all entitled to that. But be strong for them now. So they can be strong when they come to you,” he whispered, his voice strangely tight.

Jinki looked over now and he could see it so clearly this time. The mask his former Master wore was a shield for him as much as it was a front for everyone else. He could feel how much Satoru hurt from the tenseness in his body and the way he wouldn’t look at him; the trembling in his fingers on Jinki’s arm and the hard swallow in his throat. “But…” he started to say, voice shaking with unshed tears.

Satoru looked at him then, mask cracking to offer a sad smile. “The Aerie Master is the heart of the Aerie. If the heart breaks, everything is effected.” He exhaled tiredly and nodded once. “We do break, Jinki. But in solitude. Not here,” he added with a slow nod towards the bodies of dragons and riders.

When Jinki turned to follow his gaze, he saw Yunho slowly but determinedly walking their way. Everything about his body shouted pain but his face was a mask, much like Satoru’s. Jinki had a feeling that if he were to break down now, Yunho would too and he owed it to him to not allow that to happen. Swallowing hard, he placed his hand over Satoru’s and pulled his shoulders back, shoving his feelings down as far as he could, though the lump in his throat remained despite his best efforts. “Welcome back, Commander Yunho,” he called when the rider came within distance, his voice weak and tight, but loud enough carry.

“Aerie Master,” the haggard rider murmured, bowing to both when he got close enough.

“What’s the situation?” Satoru asked firmly as the silence lengthened between them.

Jinki mentally cursed his uncertainty but couldn’t deny the strong tone from Satoru seemed to help pull Yunho out of his stupor. The Commander stood up straight and took a breath before speaking in a tired but steady voice, “Talongrace has fallen. Destroyed. Not dominated,” he frowned with a grimace. “Most of the civilians were evacuated and fled to the surrounding countryside, but we took heavy losses.”

Satoru and Jinki glanced at the group of remaining riders and dragons. “What are the numbers?” the older Master asked, still firm but gentler this time.

For Jinki, it was both perversely fascinating but heart wrenching to watch the question very nearly break Commander Yunho. His face spasmed as if in pain and ducked his head, one hand rising to grab at his heart almost unconsciously. “We lost forty seven dragons.”

Neither Satoru nor Jinki could stifle the gasp that escaped their mouths. “Killed?” Jinki squeaked, the word barely making it past his lips.

Yunho shook his head but then stopped to nod, torn. “Some.” He took a breath and dragged his head back up as if he was drawing strength from somewhere else. Though he looked ready to crumble at a moment’s notice, his voice was stronger when he spoke again. “Some died in battle but the rest… left,” he admitted, the anger Jinki expected not there. Only sadness.

“What do you mean left?” Satoru asked, head tilting uncertainly.

“Hero said they left to save their riders,” he explained quietly, head drooping just a bit. “I could not hear her but she said she wouldn’t hurt them, either of them, if the dragons left their riders behind. It’s why we have so many more riders,” he explained, looking back towards the huddled group in the commons.

There were more people, yes, but by and far they looked lost or shattered. Their bodies seemed mostly unharmed but their faces showed they were faced with a different sort of pain. “Human casualties?” Satoru asked into the relative silence.

Commander Yunho turned to face them again and nodded once. “Twenty five riders were killed. Another seventeen badly injured. I don’t…” he trailed off as a shadow crossed his face then. “We tried…” he whispered, one hand rising to cover half of his face, fingers crooked as if to claw into his skin but the riding glove wouldn’t let him.

Jinki flinched when Satoru quietly nudged him and nodded towards the Commander. Panic flooded him. He didn’t know what to say! But Satoru was still looking and Yunho was clearly starting to break and… “You did what you could,” he said as he stepped forward and placed a hand on the taller man’s shoulder, gripping firm.

Yunho flinched. “It wasn’t enough,” he admitted, shaking his head.

“You led the rest of your wings home. And you’ve given us a warning of what’s to come,” he promised the Commander, squeezing harder, as much for himself as the other man.

“I failed them,” he whispered, at a loss.

At a loss himself, Jinki looked at Satoru with a panicked expression. He was more than relieved when the older Aerie Master nodded once and then stepped close. “Go attend to your riders, Commander Yunho. You have reported well and they need you now,” he assured the other man.

“Yes, sir,” the Commander mumbled with a quick nod, face staying down as he turned and limped towards the slowly dispersing gathering.

Mimi was as busy as possible, directing Henry and Himchan to help at every turn. Hyesung was doing the same, though Gain had arrived at some point to help with the injured and tired dragons herself. Andy seemed to be taking his cues from her, following at her heels and heeding her directions. And there he saw N and Krystal carrying slaughtered cattle for the returning dragons. A handful of free runners ferried water from the well to the dragons in buckets, among them Joy, Sanghyuk, and Jimin.

Amidst their hurried, worried actions, Jinki felt helpless. He was the Aerie Master now but what could he do exactly. “Satoru-” he started to say, turning to face the older man.

But he was interrupted by a single word. “Tonight.”

“Huh?” he blinked in confusion.

“You will free Bahamut tonight. In the late marks before dawn has come,” Satoru explained with a sidelong look.

“Me?” Jinki flinched, fear and dread assaulting him at once.

“Yes, you. I cannot. He will know me too clearly from visits when Kevin was here,” he explained, turning away in apparent shame. There seemed to be more he was not saying but Jinki didn’t know how to press just then.

“But-”

“No matter his disposition, Tiamat will be too close to ignore,” Satoru went on, almost as if he was talking to himself.

That did not make Jinki feel any better. “How…?”

“You will break the runes around him. If you disconnect the circles, it should be enough,” the former Aerie Master went on, licking his lips quickly, hands balling into nervous fists.

“I’m not ready!” he blurted without thought, everything tensing at the admission. It was too much responsibility. What if he did something wrong? What if he failed?!

Satoru’s head dropped and he took a breath before turning to look at Jinki. Gently, he grabbed the younger man’s face in his cool hands. “No one could be, Jinki,” he assured him, voice soft and soothing. “But you have more reason than most to succeed,” he murmured, pulling them close to rest their foreheads together. “You are the Aerie Master now, but you are mate to a dragonrider, and voluntarily bonded to a dragon. You are enough,” he promised.

And though his words were meant to be comforting, Jinki thought they sounded desperate for some reason. “Okay,” he whispered after a long pause, the sounds of the Aerie growing louder with each passing heartbeat. He didn’t feel ready or like he’d ever be enough, but there wasn’t much choice left. If Satoru wouldn’t, for whatever reason, there really wasn’t anyone else. Oh, anyone could break the runes, but the concern was more about how Bahamut might react once he woke. Satoru had said he was most afraid of that moment, and though Jinki couldn’t understand why, he knew the other man had reason. Even if it was only because he had been present when Kevin had woke the great dragon himself, but within the confines of the runes.

“Come,” Satoru urged, his voice slightly reassured. “Our people need us for now, Aerie Master,” he reminded the younger man, breaking apart so they could view the continued flurry of activity around them, even as the light continued to fail.

“Of course.” The only consolation was that the dragons on watch had reported that the shadow in the distance had quieted. Tiamat was not advancing at this moment and that was cause for some relief.

The rest of Jinki’s waking marks were spent in helping organize and direct the movement of the returned riders and dragons as well as the last stand plan for any who intended to stay topside. It was obvious that if the Aerie was completely deserted, a search around might very well reveal their hiding spot, so volunteers were asked to stay. Commander Yunho refused to order anyone, though he was the first to say he would remain.

By the time everything was decided and everyone was moved and they were as prepared as they were going to be, exactly twenty dragons and a handful more people were left in the Aerie itself. Everyone else had been moved below to wait and pray and recover to the best of their abilities. Tired, pensive, and worried, they ate cold meat rolls together in the dining hall, taking quiet solace in the company of each other. When they separated, the riders joined their dragons and the humans gathered in pairs or small groups. No one wanted to be alone this night. The only exception was Jinki and that was largely because he was trying, with very little success, to sleep in Satoru’s bed while the former Aerie Master stayed up to wake him at the appropriate mark.

Neither knew how long it would take to wake Bahamut, if they could do so at all. It might be a moment and it might be marks. Neither knew how he’d react either, which was another reason for having so few people remaining. Unless he had some magic they didn’t know about, he would be coming right out of the mountain itself…

Tossing and turning, the only thing more pressing than Jinki’s upcoming task was Taekwoon’s absence. Above all, he wished the rider was here with him now. It would make everything seem more doable, even if neither of them actually had the power to shift the outcome. He hoped his other half was okay. And the dragons. And the rest of the wings with them… He hated that it had come to this, though he didn’t know what he would have done differently to change the current situation.

It was while he was musing and worrying and very much not sleeping that Satoru stepped in to wake him. Jinki froze when he heard the door open, light spilling into the dark space. “It’s time,” Satoru spoke quietly, shuffling forward to wake Jinki with a gentle shake. He let out the breath he’d been holding and nodded without a word. “I’ll take care of things up here so don’t worry about us,” he smiled, the expression shadowed in the darkness.

Jinki nodded and swallowed hard. “I can do this,” he stated, for himself as much as for Satoru.

“I know you can,” Satoru encouraged, caressing the top of his head like a worried father. “Here,” he offered, pressing two hard but long objects into his clammy hands. Blinking down at them, he realized one was a torch and the other a sheathed dagger. “The way is dark and the stone is hard, but these should help.”

“Thank you,” Jinki whispered by rote, clutching them close as if they were precious gifts. In a sense, they were, no matter how ordinary they appeared. Shakily, he stood up and looked at Satoru in the dark. “Do you think he’ll save us?” he asked again, wishing for a stronger answer than usual.

“I can only hope,” Satoru disappointed him once again. “Now go. And Heavens watch over you,” he smiled, the expression forced but no less sincere.

Together, they stepped towards the painted wall and Jinki watched as Satoru pressed on two stars etched into the surface. There was a click and the wall pulled back before sliding over, showing a dark passage that led into the depths of the mountain. Jinki had to fight to hold back a whimper. Quietly, he tucked the dagger into his waistband and reached for the flint stones kept just inside the entryway. With practiced ease, he started the torch, illuminating the darkness with a pitiful orange glow.

“I’m going,” he said around a hard swallow. Satoru didn’t answer but he did smile and wave once when Jinki turned to look at him. Jinki nodded back and then turned to the stairs. Closing his eyes, he gathered his courage. With wide eyes, he started down the stone steps and kept going, even as he heard the door sliding into place behind him.

It was easy to make up sounds in the gloom, to see dancing shadows as something more sinister in the flickering torch light. The air itself felt eerily still, but also warm, though he knew it should be cooler the further down he got. Of course, this was because of the dragon at the bottom, but it didn’t make him feel any better about the situation. Though he’d been this way once before, this time felt slower than usual. Or maybe the stairs felt longer. Or perhaps it was the simple fact of being alone that stretched time itself…

Jinki didn’t know, but he was both terrified and relieved when the stairs stopped, the ground evened out, and the great silver dragon appeared in his view. “I’m here, Bahamut,” he whispered, almost holding his breath in case the dragon suddenly opened his eyes at being named aloud. He didn’t but Jinki’s nervousness did not dissipate. On the wall to his left, there was an empty torch sconce and he placed the burning brand there before approaching the runes etched around the dragon.

He didn’t know what they meant. Couldn’t read them like Taekwoon could - oh how he wished his other half was here. But he did know they were what kept Bahamut bound. Reaching for the dagger, his hands felt cold and clammy, the sheathe ice cold despite the warmth of the room. It was probably just in his head, but he shivered all the same. He removed the shining silver blade from its covering and stared at the surface, seeing his reflection waver slightly in the uneven lighting. He looked tired. And worried.

Jinki closed his eyes and moved to the first ring of runes. For an absurd moment, he almost felt bad that using the blade on the stone like this would probably ruin it. “So stupid,” he grumbled, forcing his thoughts to focus on his task. As he knelt, he traced his fingers over a single rune and then took a breath before hacking at the marking with the blade. It took him a few tries to break it completely, but when he did, he felt a shift in the air like a breeze washing over him where there was no wind at all. “I suppose that’s normal,” he whispered, glancing around and seeing that Bahamut had not changed yet. Not surprising. There were two more rings after all.

Methodically, Jinki made his way closer, breaking through the second ring and finally the third, feeling the same sensation of a breeze washing over his skin with each success. Standing up, he laid his eyes on Bahamut’s form once more, watching, waiting. When nothing happened immediately, he took a small step forward and froze. The great dragon stirred, inhaling once and shifting as if coming out of a long sleep. But then, one eye snapped open, the vertical pupil wide and dilated. It darted around briefly before focusing on Jinki with predatory force.

Bahamut’s pupil narrowed to a mere slit. _Come to me,_ he commanded, the voice so overwhelming and powerful that Jinki couldn’t have resisted if he wanted to.

The dagger slipped from his numb fingers as Jinki fell into that mesmerizing orb… and found himself in Trance. But far from the roiled gray space he had come to believe it was, this place was calm and bright. It was a stark contrast, all hard planes and austerity. “What…?” he wondered in confused fear.

That fear grew exponentially when a giant silver dragon simply materialized in front of him, like it had stepped out of the whiteness and just was. Lying down, Bahamut had been large enough, but standing, he towered over Jinki like a terrifying mountain. Sleek features and straight horns graced his head while every part of him was silver and proportioned and perfect in its conformity. Far from begin comforting, it scared Jinki.

And when Bahamut spoke, his voice felt as if it came from everywhere, pressing down on Jinki like a heavy stone from without and within. _“I see Tiamat has been awakened. Why? You will tell me,”_ he stated, the words a command that Jinki floundered under.

“I… I…” he stammered, having trouble pulling his thoughts together. He hadn’t expected this. He’d figured Bahamut would simply wake up and speak or act to get free immediately. He was not prepared for something like this.

The dragon’s eyes narrowed and he tilted his slender head to the side. _“You are taking too long.”_

Immediately after speaking, the giant form shifted, becoming smaller and changing form until he stood before Jinki as a perfectly proportioned but naked mountain of a man with silver hair and silver eyes. Taekwoon’s description of the man he’d met here came rushing back to Jinki and he whispered, “Bahamut.”

“I will see for myself,” Bahamut stated, closing the distance between them almost impossibly fast.

Jinki gasped and froze up when too strong hands gripped his shoulders, holding him still. He looked up and directly into Bahamut’s dragon eyes in a human body. Tried to pull away when he felt the dragon looking _into_ him, pawing through his memories and sifting through his thoughts with such inhuman ease. “No,” he whimpered, trying to pull away. But he was frozen, caught in a grip that was too strong in a place he did not belong. Trapped. _Taekwoon. Help me…_ he cried, quickly losing the battle to keep the dragon god from seeing _everything_.

With a startled gasp and a racing heart, Taekwoon lurched upright and blinked in the dark gloom. “Jinki?” he whispered, trying to remember what had woken him up as he grasped at the words he thought he’d heard. He wasn’t under Jonghyun’s wing so he could see the stars. Dawn was not here yet. Everyone should be sleeping and yet…

_Mate called,_ Jonghyun added, further supporting what he thought he’d felt. _Mate feels it too. Trouble._

Still weak from his fever and the fight for supremacy with his dragon half, Taekwoon staggered to his feet. No one else had felt it. He could tell. Oh, Jinyoung was looking at him curiously, obviously on watch duty, but none of them felt the shift. Had they? _Something’s different,_ he admitted to his dragon, feeling his dragon half stir in agreement. _Bahamut?_ he wondered, struggling to make sense of things. Couldn’t be. If it was, it was small. Like a tiny ripple in a lake as opposed to the wave that had washed over them previously. If it was Bahamut, then Jinki probably was in danger. _Jong. Trance with me,_ he called, stumbling towards his dragon.

Jonghyun lowered his head to eye level and they fell into the Trance space together. _Different,_ the copper murmured immediately.

Taekwoon felt it too. Jonghyun was relatively unchanged from the last time, but looking down at his hands, he could see the ghostly outline of his dragon shape much clearer. And the space itself was lighter… less troubled. _By the heavens. Bahamut is awake isn’t he?_ he wondered aloud and turned to stare at his dragon.

_Think so,_ Jonghyun agreed, just as mystified.

_Then why don’t I feel happy about this?_ he asked, filled only with a sense of unease and worry that added to what he’d already felt previously.

_Must go,_ the copper stated, turning to look towards the vague horizon.

_I know,_ Taekwoon agreed.

_Now._

 _Yes,_ he murmured, pushing free from Trance so fast he nearly stumbled in his physical form. Looking up at Jinyoung who’d drawn closer to him while he was in Trance, he gasped, “We’ve gotta go. Now.”

“What?” the other rider blinked in worried confusion.

“Bahamut’s awake and… Jinki’s in trouble,” he explained quickly, already trying to move as if to fly away.

“What?!” Jinyoung asked again, even more confounded.

“Check Trance,” he encouraged, pushing past the rider to approach Insoo.

“Taekwoon!” the other rider gasped, grabbing his wrist to stop him.

Stalled, he turned to look at the rider with worried eyes. “Check.” Then he yanked away and hobbled over to Insoo, falling beside the sleeping rider with enough force to wake him up anyway. He flinched when the Wing Leader very nearly attacked him. But then they both froze as a distant cry washed over the camp, the sound weak and obviously far away, but filled with power and rage. It sent a terrible chill down Taekwoon’s spine as he recognized it with a bone chilling certainty. “Tiamat.”

Insoo looked at him and nodded. “Time to go! Riders!” he shouted, rousing the wing from sleep with a sharp cry. “To the Aerie! Now!” he commanded, hurriedly packing his sleeping gear and using the poor light from the fire to get ready.

All around him, Taekwoon heard the other riders getting ready as their dragons milled about, agitated. Weakened but refusing to let that slow him down, Taekwoon packed up as fast as the rest, the ghost of Jinki’s words echoing in him. _Taekwoon. Help me…_ It twisted in his gut like a toothed dagger, the sensation reaching up to squeeze his heart mercilessly.

As they finally got into the air, the barest hint of dawn beginning to appear on the horizon, Taekwoon was filled with nothing but worry. “Hold on, Jinki. I’m coming.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did not mean to leave this on another cliffhanger, but it was going to get unfortunately long if I didn't. That being the case, I will try to get the next update out as soon as possible! Thank you!


	54. One Thing After Another

Tiamat’s cry was as unexpected as it was worrisome. Satoru looked at the wooden door behind which Jinki had disappeared to the depths of the mountain and his brows furrowed. It was safe to say that Bahamut had been awakened but he had chosen not to break free. A glance at the covered window in his office confirmed it was still dark out, but it felt like it wouldn’t be long in coming. What was more worrisome was that Tiamat would likely be heading this way soon – earlier than expected. She knew as well as anyone with the knowledge where Bahamut rested and if the High Priest’s goal was to subjugate the great dragon god, he was rapidly losing his window.

The unpleasant feeling of fear and worry twisted in his gut and he took a breath to shake it off. First things first. He needed to wake the Aerie, if they hadn’t already. Of course he was worried about Jinki, but… it was possible they were speaking. Kevin had never been forthcoming with information when it came to the dragon. They’d spoken often when the High Priest was here, but his thoughts were well guarded and Bahamut’s power had been well contained. Now…

“Soon. See to the Aerie first, then check on Jinki,” he told himself, pushing down his guilt and fear. He knew what few others didn’t. Bahamut hated Satoru as much as he hated Kevin, the two always intertwined in their meetings. Though he’d never heard the dragon speak to him, that great silver eye had weighed and measured him many times, and he had been found lacking in whatever the dragon god was looking for. He shivered at the last memory of Kevin’s visit and the knife-like glare he’d felt pierce him in the dragon’s presence.

Making his way out of the office, he was only mildly surprised when Commander Yunho was already jogging his direction. “Master Satoru. Did you hear it?” he asked, face pale in the weak light of the moon and the heralding dawn.

“Yes,” he nodded in immediate agreement. “She will be coming. Help me wake the others,” he instructed, waving his hand towards the dragon fields while he headed for the sleeping quarters.

“Yes, sir,” Yunho nodded, jogging off with his fingers ghosting close to his temples.

Satoru knew he was speaking to Hero. The silver was hurt and tired but still strong enough to lead. Together at any rate. “Master Satoru!” He flinched when a black shadow dropped out of the sky in the corner of his eye. Instinctively, he knew it was Krystal, but that didn’t stop his heart from trying to jump out of his chest. She was an excellent dragon but curse her coloration at this time of the day and under the circumstances…

“Yes, Jongin?” he asked, hiding the surprise in his tone.

“We heard the dragon call. Should we let them know below?” he asked, the worry obvious in his voice, if not on his face.

He’d been developing a good bluffing face and that was a positive thing for many of the flight runs Satoru could imagine him being sent on in the future. “Yes please,” he nodded, gesturing them off before he resumed his trek. Most of the humans who had stayed were riders, but a handful were simply loyal residents. The Masters had been forbidden from staying – their knowledge too great to lose so wastefully, but there were those like Jiyeon who had lost her dragon in a past attack, another recently returned rider whose dragon had been killed instead of recruited, and two older residents who were content if this was there time. He knew that Gain and Andy had also remained above despite his best efforts to convince them otherwise.

It was easy enough to gather them and join the dragons in the commons where he and Commander Yunho explained what they expected to happen. In the growing light, they could see Tiamat’s form already heading their way, surrounded by a myriad of colorful specks that could be nothing other than more dragons. “We cannot beat them but we can meet them and at least convince them that we are all that’s left,” Satoru stated simply.

“Our dragons and riders will take to the air when they come and the rest of you will remain below,” Yunho instructed, pointing up and then down. “Do not engage unless they attack first. That is the primary rule. Survive. That is all I wish for you to do today,” he sighed, the shadow of his failure weighing heavy on him.

“That is all. Any questions?” Satoru asked, glancing around the gathering.

One hand rose and it was Jiho standing next to his red. “Where’s Jinki?”

Satoru smiled so that he wouldn’t wince and answered, “He’s taking care of a very important task. He should be joining us soon,” he murmured, taking note that it was not a satisfactory answer to many of them. He knew it was not his best response, but the truth might only frighten them more. Especially if they better knew the nature of the sword Jinki was trying to release.

“Here,” Commander Yunho broke the almost suffocating silence as he started to hand out more cold meat rolls.

The former Aerie Master accepted one too and remained long enough to share in the meal with them. It was entirely possible it would be their last and he owed it to all of them to stay for that reason alone. But once he was finished and they started to go their separate ways while keeping their gazes on the horizon, he pulled away, retreating to the Aerie Master’s office. The fact that Jinki had not returned yet was bothering him more than he cared to admit.

Satoru locked the doors behind him, first the outer foyer door and then the main office door, before he entered his bedroom and opened the hidden passage. It was still dark, as always, and he moved to retrieve another torch, lighting it with the flint stones before he took a breath and started making his way down. Fear made his body stiff and his mind nearly go blank. He was terrified of meeting Bahamut practically alone without the binding runes or Kevin nearby to keep him under control. But he needed to know what had happened to Jinki.

‘Please let him be alright.’ He hadn’t meant to send him to real possible danger. Truly, he had believed that out of those present, Jinki would have had the best chance of reaching the angry dragon. Unlike Satoru, with his dragonrider past wherein he got his dragon killed with his stupidity – chasing a rogue dragon on his own and not considering the wilds nearby; his questionable relationship with the High Priest – wherein he was an unwilling slave to the other man’s whims in mind and body for many years; his history as the Aerie Master and all the troubling choices he’d had to make in his role – willingly naming Yongguk his successor instead of Jinki so that Satoru’s personal fate wouldn’t befall the younger man; working with Eric to send countless riders and dragons to their deaths, often for the greed and whims of man; continuing the Trials that took and maimed so many but gave so few; for never trying to change the system to something better because it was easier and less painful not to… Jinki was everything positive about what an Aerie Master should be. At least far more than him. Time and the realities of the position had not had a chance to ruin him yet.

But for all his hopes, Satoru knew he might have been wrong in sending Jinki down for the same reason. He would have little chance against Bahamut’s strength or anger. “I am a cowardly fool,” he whispered to himself, even as he took one step after another, walking towards the creature he feared the most.

As he made it to the final step and walked upon the landing, finally laying eyes upon the great dragon god once more with his torch light, he knew his fears were well placed. Bahamut’s unforgettable eye was open, unblinking as he stared at Jinki. Oh Heavens… they were in Trance. He had to get to him, to wake Jinki was from the prison he was in. “Jinki!” he called, stepping forward with his arm outstretched as if to push him free.

Satoru’s breath froze in his throat when the eye shifted, sighting on him with clear recognition. “Oh no,” he whispered, fear making him freeze like prey before the strike.

_You_ , came the ominous voice, washing over him like a scathing wave. Bahamut’s arm and wing shifted, stalling briefly on stone before crashing through and continuing on.

Like an avalanche, the walkway and ceiling started to collapse, grinding towards Satoru – inescapable and unstoppable. Satoru ripped his gaze from his death and found Jinki in the pale light. In that final moment in time, he felt blissful peace and insurmountable regret. There was so much he could have done differently. So many things… But in the end, his hopes were all on Jinki, a young man who Satoru thought embodied some of the best of humanity. Oh so flawed and imperfect but beautiful in so many ways.

“I’m sorry, Jinki,” he whispered, closing his eyes as the crushing wall of stone closed in around him.

It hurt. Physically hurt with each memory turned over, regarded with dispassionate interest and then pushed away. It hurt worse when the dragon god dug up those memories Jinki held most dear and tossed them aside with no interest, the best of his life treated like so much garbage. Every happiness was worthless while every pain and betrayal and argument was weighed and considered equally. Flaws. Flaws, flaws, and more flaws. They were what Bahamut sought and inspected.

An eternity of violation is what it felt like until he gradually started to become numb to the sensation. The hurt was the same but acceptance made his tolerance higher and the only thing that came to mind was, “Why?”

No answer.

More memories observed. More knowledge sought.

“Why?!”

No answer. Just the inexorable digging through his previous thoughts.

_“WHY?!”_

Bahamut paused as if the sound just reached him and his considerably heavy attention fell upon Jinki’s small figure. “Why?” he echoed, the question apparently strange to him.

“Yes,” Jinki swallowed, shivering in the absence of hurt.

For a long moment, it seemed as if Bahamut deliberated on whether he should respond or not. Quaint amusement became obvious when his voice returned. “Is it not my right to see how my creations have faired in my absence?” he asked haughtily, the question most definitely rhetorical.

“No,” Jinki responded in a tiny voice.

It only made Bahamut chuckle in amusement as he turned another memory over. It was the day Jinki had challenged Jonghyun for Taekwoon. The dragon god was curious at least but it was short lived. “The priest denied me such information when he visited. Kept me bound here. Acted as if _he_ would be god.” The voice turned heated and foul, brimming with white hot rage. “He will be judged,” Bahamut spoke as if to himself, turning another memory. Taekwoon was speaking to Jinki of his second Trial. Dark humor tinged Bahamut’s thoughts. Taekwoon had been right after all.

Jinki couldn’t stop the dragon god from looking at his memories, but he had to at least try and sway him. There was little else he could do here. “We need your help,” he whispered, knowing the dragon was paying attention, even if he pretended not to.

“I will be the judge of that,” Bahamut responded without hesitation.

“We will die if you don’t,” he gasped, wincing at another memory: Taekwoon’s first Trial. Oh that had been a terrifying day.

“Yes, you may,” was the not at all reassuring response.

“Tiamat is coming,” he cringed, shying away from the black and blue body of his other half. Seunghyun had been a terribly tough task master on him.

“I know. She will be judged too,” Bahamut commented so nonchalantly it was chilling.

If Tiamat came and Bahamut wasn’t awake, she would hurt them. Satoru and Yunho and Gain and so many other people he cared about. And even if she didn’t, Kevin might or the dragons could be taken or the Aerie destroyed. There were so many possibilities that scared Jinki and made him cry out, “HELP THEM!”

Bahamut paused, a trace of displeased annoyance flickering through the air. “No.” Jinki crumbled under the denial and the dragon god resumed his inspection.

There was a brief moment of relief in which Bahamut’s attention turned outward, his form becoming translucent but still solid enough to keep Jinki standing. He felt almost as if he might cry for the unfair absurdity of it all. Bahamut, the _benevolent_ god of justice and law, the creator of man, the true protector of their world, appeared to be little more than a lie. Satoru was right to be wary of him… Jinki wondered why he’d never thought it himself but the question passed quickly when he felt Bahamut return, his form solidifying once more.

“No,” he denied, ducking his head and shutting his eyes tight as if he might be able to block out the dragon god.

Bahamut’s amusement was palpable again. “Look at me.” It was a soft spoken sentence but it carried all the weight of a command. Jinki was powerless against it and he felt his body betray him once more.

It only ended when Bahamut’s attention turned outward with curious interest. “She’s here. Hmm,” he hummed to himself, eyes focusing on Jinki as a body instead of a receptacle for memories. “You know much but not enough. I need to know more,” he murmured, speaking very much to himself. “My form is too obvious. I think I will borrow yours,” the dragon god smiled, brushing his fingers against the side of Jinki’s head as if he was grabbing something.

With a gasp, he stumbled backwards, barely standing as his legs struggled to keep him upright. When he looked forward again, he noticed a huge naked man with silver eyes and silver hair standing before him. “Bahamut?” he blinked, remembering Taekwoon’s description of such a figure once before with startling ease. “We need your he-” he began to say before the dragon god smiled, the effect cold, and pushed him away with one hand while the other appeared to be holding something.

“Woah!” Jinki yelped, stumbling backwards in total darkness. His heels hit something hard and he tripped, falling back. He hit his head and knew nothing more.

Commander Yunho was not surprised to see Satoru wander off on his own. It had been an uncomfortable question to answer, especially as he suspected very much that the Aerie Master in question was likely with Bahamut… He still remembered their conversation quite clearly the last time they’d spoken of the dragon god. The feeling of betrayal had been quite vivid. Even now, he still felt wronged in the sense that the information had been kept from him, but it was just as much a betrayal of his beliefs. Like everyone else, they were taught Bahamut had ascended. That he rested in the Heavens and watched over them from above. To learn – and confirm – that the dragon god was in fact bound beneath their very feet had been a changing experience.

He hadn’t been able to really believe until he’d seen the dragon god for himself. Convincing Satoru to show him hadn’t been that difficult, but it made the claim all too real. He couldn’t deny what his eyes showed him, twisting the knife further. Looking to the horizon, he knew his anger now was directed mostly at the High Priest. And it had only grown since their trek to Talongrace for he had seen the High Priest with them.

Yunho balled his hands into fists and tried to quash the all too recent memories, or at least the emotions that came with them. Kevin was actually riding Tiamat. It wasn’t clear if he was controlling her – she very much acted as she wished - but they were obviously working together. For all her size though, she had not seemed interested in hurting the dragons. Oh, the city was very much a lost cause and she had no qualms about landing on it, but it had genuinely seemed to distress her that the wild dragons, the dragons already under her control, and the dragons under his command had been fighting. It was that alone that had saved those he had returned with…

He could only pray, to whoever or whatever might hear him, that she would do the same here. With that discomfiting thought in mind, Yunho worked to bolster the morale of the riders he did have. Most were from those who had remained in the Aerie while the others had gone abroad, but he had gained a couple extras, notably the mischievous Jiho and N and uncertainly… two of the riders who had gained their dragons late. He trusted Wonshik and Aron, as much as he trusted any human under his command, but it was Ken and JR that he was hesitant about. Likewise for Gain and Andy for that matter. None of them had bonds like he and Hero did. They might be too easily susceptible to Tiamat’s call.

But for all his worry, it wasn’t like he had much choice. And his worries only grew when they collectively felt the mountain shake beneath their feet. It wasn’t much and it didn’t last long, more like a strong rumbling within the ground itself, but knowing what he did, Yunho was certain it did not bode well. When the sensation stopped, he looked around at the people present and gestured at them calmly, “Easy. Nothing to worry about, see?” he added, gesturing at the unharmed Aerie with a forced smile.

Like himself, they were hesitant to believe, but it was easier to just accept the reassurance. If not, the worry would be worse and they already had more than enough to fill their minds with concerns. “Maybe it was just a coincidence,” Wonshik shrugged, trying to break the tension like usual.

“It’s possible,” Yunho nodded in subdued agreement, glancing around the group. Their expressions showed they didn’t believe that, but they wanted to. “Wait here. I’ll be right back,” he smiled, the expression widening to try and convey a sense of confidence he didn’t feel. He didn’t wait for them to respond before he reached for his dragon. _Hero._

 _Here,_ the silver responded instantly, walking into view from the dragon fields.

He sent a mental image of flying around the mountain and Yunho couldn’t help the smile that followed. _My thoughts exactly._ In a matter of moments, they were airborne and skirting the perimeter of their home. Neither saw any cause for concern on the stone walls and cliff sides. Nothing had fallen to the ground below, that they could see, and there were no unusual holes or openings present. _Troubling,_ he mused with a frown and furrowed brows.

_Inside?_ Hero asked, well aware of where his rider had gone previously.

_I should check,_ he nodded quickly, sitting easy as they returned.

Hero deposited him in front of the Aerie Master’s office. _Be careful,_ the silver cautioned, butting his head lightly against Yunho’s body.

_Did you feel something?_ he queried, caressing the smooth skin of Hero’s face with a gloved hand.

_Maybe. It feels different. It’s possible Bahamut has awakened, but I’m not sure,_ he explained, obviously frustrated.

“I was afraid of that,” Yunho admitted pursing his lips. “I’ll be right back,” he promised, patting the end of Hero’s nose with a light hand. His dragon huffed once, nuzzling at him as if to say ‘You better,’ and then raised his head as he sat down to wait. Yunho nodded and then moved to open the front door but hit the barrier unexpectedly hard when it didn’t open. “Huh?” he blinked in confused surprised. Trying again, he realized it was locked. “Master Satoru?” he called, loud enough to get his voice to carry as much as he could. Worry settled in his gut when there was no answer so he threw his weight against the barrier, cringing when it proved to be quite solid. _Hero,_ he called with a quick wave and a nod at the door. _Little help?_

 _Of course,_ was the automatic reply. Carefully, the silver moved closer and then nudged his head hard against the doors. They resisted for a brief moment before the wood creaked and bowed, giving way under the pressure.

“Good,” the rider nodded once, hurrying in to try the other door. He wasn’t surprised when it was locked as well. “Shards,” he spat, the knot in his gut growing. Yunho took a moment to bang on the door hard and call out again, “Master Satoru! If you’re here, answer me!” With no response and another failed, half-hearted attempt to open the door, he called for his dragon again. _Hero?_

 _On it,_ the silver responded, easing his head into the foyer so he could push against the inner doors as well.

This one gave with less resistance and Yunho gave a passing caress to the side of Hero’s face as he moved inside. “Thanks,” he murmured, slightly distracted.

_You’re welcome,_ was the pleased reply.

“Master Satoru?” he tried once more, looking around for the man he knew had to be here somewhere. But the office was empty. There was no sign of him… With a sigh and heavy steps, Yunho made his way across the room to the only other door in his sight. At the very least, it was unlocked, fortunately, but once it swung open, Yunho groaned at the yawning portal before him. The secret door was also open and there was a faint bit of dust hanging in the air in front of it. Stepping lightly in front of it, he placed his hand on the wall and poked his head inside. “Satoru? Jinki?” His voice jumped down the steps and into the darkness, echoing for a brief count before muting suddenly. Groaning to himself, he looked around the room. “Light. Light. Light,” he mused, eye twitching when there was no torch at hand. But… there was a candle in the main room so he backtracked and retrieved the dormant illumination.

It was near impossible to light a candle with flint stones so he used a bit of inky paper to ignite it once the flammable material caught. Light source in hand, he started to make his way down the pitch black tunnel. He hadn’t made it more than twenty steps – yes, he’d been counting – before he had to stop. Worry turned to a sick dread and he blinked hard, leaning against the wall. The entire way was blocked by stone. It appeared as if the tunnel had collapsed, filling the space with impossible to bypass debris. “Oh Bahamut,” he exhaled, the familiar utterance slipping free without any thought.

_That’s not good,_ his dragon murmured, echoing his thoughts.

_No. It’s not,_ he confirmed, knowing that since the doors had been locked from the inside, Satoru had to have been the one to do it. And if he wasn’t in the office, then he must have gone down. But Jinki would also have been down there since he was nowhere above ground, which meant… both their Aerie Masters were dead or trapped and they had no time to try and figure it out. “Shards,” he groaned as it suddenly became hard to breathe.

_Come back out,_ Hero urged, worry obvious in his tone.

_Right,_ Yunho nodded, licking his lips and turning around to head back up. One would have been bad enough. He had sort of been counting on Satoru to be the more experienced leader if needed and with him gone, that left… Yunho. He was not ready for such a position. Not after his most recent failure. But it was worse that Jinki was also missing. He was young and also inexperienced but the Commander knew he’d been trying hard. And for just a moment, he felt bad for Taekwoon as well. They were a pair, much like he and Hero were, in a different sense. He knew Taekwoon was a difficult and somewhat disrespectful (at least to him) troublemaker sometimes, but… he would not wish something like this on the rider.

But more than anything… he couldn’t let the others know just yet. If they found out that their Aerie Masters were lost, it would just demoralize them more. They had enough to deal with right now without adding to the pile. The realization crushed Yunho. He wasn’t strong enough to support everyone as they needed to be. He couldn’t…

_I’m here, Yunho,_ Hero called, the voice strong and supportive, like always.

He reached for it like a lifeline. It was. _I know,_ he responded, practically gasping for breath when he reached the top and blew the candle out before stumbling outside to his dragon. “I know,” he repeated while he fell against the silver hide and simply held on, waiting for the world to crash down around him.

Hero let him stay there for a long moment before the dragon spoke again. _She is still coming._

Yunho winced and nodded slowly. There was that. No matter what else, the great black dragon was heading for the Aerie and would be here in far too short an amount of time. “You’re right,” he exhaled, struggling to simply stand on his own in this moment.

_We must protect them as best we can,_ the silver added, nudging at Yunho’s arm gently.

He closed his eyes and nodded. Eventually, Yunho managed to step back and look up at his silver dragon with quiet pride. “Yes. We must.” Picking himself up was not easy. Putting on a false calmness was near impossible. But with Hero’s help, he did. And returned to the rest of the group with a spring in his step he did not feel in the slightest.

“Did you see anything?” Taeyang asked, the wing leader noticing him first as he approached.

“No,” Yunho lied with a quick shake of his head. “Nothing to report.”

“Any word from the Aerie Masters?” Boa asked, glancing towards the Aerie spire.

Yunho shook his head with a false smile. “They are preparing for what may come. For now, they asked me to handle the situation out here,” he explained, the lie heavy on his tongue. It was enough. For now. The riders nodded to themselves, thoughtful and worried, but turned away all the same, ready to face whatever might come.

However, by the time it came to face Tiamat herself, Yunho was pretty sure they all realized something wasn’t right. By then though, there was no more time. With the sun slowly heading towards its zenith, she and all her children had arrived.

As planned, the riders rose up to distract and delay. Surrounded, there weren’t many places to go but they dove and rolled and flew hard in the space that was theirs, harrying stragglers that pulled in too close. Tiamat stayed on the fringe of the Aerie, obviously speaking to the dragons within but stationary. That wasn’t to say that the wind from her wings didn’t pummel those on the ground and upset the dragons in the air…

In the midst of their movements, Andy broke away and tore through the sky, aiming for Tiamat. Gain followed after, but it soon became obvious he was heading for the figure on the black dragon. Kevin. The High Priest that had likely been the death of Andy’s rider. A pained howl emerged from his throat, but when he got close enough, Tiamat plucked him from the air like a human would a large kitten. Even with a gold dragon, her claws held him so easily. But as she listened, her head whipped around to glare at the human perched between her shoulder blades.

Apparently surprised, he flinched and cowed away from her gaze before pointing at the Aerie itself. Tiamat stared a breath longer before handing Andy off to another pair of gold dragons that came as if called and then landed hard upon the Aerie. The ground trembled and the four ground bound people present fell off their feet, paralyzed by the size and presence of the dragon god.

Tiamat roared and tore at the ground beneath her, digging through stone with single minded intensity and ease. The Aerie commons was decimated quickly. Buildings nearby crumbled as boulders flew away with a flick of her wrists and her tailed thrashed in agitation, toppling more structures. Above, the dragonriders could only watch and stare in confused horror as Tiamat destroyed their home, but left them largely alone, watched over and unofficially captured by the hordes of dragons around them.

Tiamat dug with increasing franticness until she simply stopped, claws resting in the stone with a very confused air about her. Her head turned as if to confer with Kevin, still clinging desperately to her, and then clambered from the hole she’d created. At last, her attention shifted to the Stardust Battalion dragons and the air filled with the sensation of something happening. For the riders, it was clear she was speaking to the dragons and them alone.

Gain soared in front of her and roared in angry defiance, actually startling Tiamat with whatever it was she said. Her surprise faded quickly though and an angry gleam appeared in her golden eyes. Wilds and dragons wearing Dawnbringer colors began to rain upon their group, overwhelming them with sheer numbers. The Stardust Battalion desperately fled, the dragons trying with all their might to protect their riders, the true targets of the attacks.

One rider fell. And another. Yunho felt despair reaching up to swallow him before he heard a single word. _Enough!_

“No,” he whispered, heart shattering as it came from his dragon.

Free from Yunho’s control, Hero flew up in front of Tiamat and roared again. _Enough!_

With a toss of her head, the dragons under Tiamat’s command stopped and pulled away, giving them space. _Hero, no,_ Yunho denied, even as the silver dragon descended, followed shortly after by the rest of the dragons.

_I cannot let you die,_ Hero explained sadly, defeat writ in every part of him.

_I won’t let you go,_ Yunho shook his head, refusing to budge even when they had landed.

_Get off, Yunho,_ his dragon urged, looking at him out of the corner of his eye.

_No,_ the rider denied again, glaring back. He watched Hero’s head droop and then inhaled in surprise as large teeth flashed, biting at the harness and ripping it free, taking Yunho with it. “No!” Yunho howled, hanging from the straps.

_I’m sorry,_ Hero apologized, setting him gently on the ground and taking flight immediately so his rider couldn’t get back to him in time.

“Hero!” Yunho howled, scrambling to his feet and stumbling after him. All around him, he could tell similar exchanges were happening between the other dragons and riders, some dismounting under their own volition and others being removed forcibly in much the same way.

_Stay safe, Yunho,_ his dragon pleaded, looking back even as he moved to Tiamat’s side.

_“Come back!”_ he screamed, reaching for the silver that was already well beyond his reach. But his dragon did not heed him. Tiamat looked down to meet his gaze, her eyes unreadable, but she did not speak to him and Yunho was left with nothing but heartache and rage as he watched his dragon fly north with Tiamat and her brood. Along with the other dragons that had been topside.

Broken and shattered riders crumpled in the remains of the Aerie while those below crept out once the danger seemed to have passed, unaware of the tragedy above them. And from the southwest, a single wing of dragons flew hard, catching sight of the departing Tiamat and her children even as they approached Bahamut’s Aerie.


	55. Returning to the Aerie

“Why are we leaving?!”

The question barely registered as Tiamat’s thoughts swirled, frantic and worried. When the tiny human on her back shouted at her again, she growled and swung her head around to face him, fangs bared. His fear and pale expression were almost enough to mollify her. Almost. _Bahamut is not there._

“But he has to be!” Kevin denied, gesturing back the way they had come from.

Tiamat snorted and hissed under her breath. _You lied to me,_ she commented instead, moving her head to look forward, though all her attention remained on him. His confusion amused her. Especially as he floundered for another lie to hold to.

”I have merely been selective in what I say,” he responded eventually, clearly at a loss.

_Hah._ She projected her laugh just to feel him squirm. He did, to her satisfaction. _You told me the dragons were under Bahamut’s control. You told me we would be freeing them. You told me you had never harmed any of my children,_ she listed off easily, her anger bubbling just beneath the surface.

The Priest’s silence was louder than a shout. He obviously thought hard about how to respond and eventually offered, “They were bound by Bahamut’s blood. Under his control as much as your children at your Aerie. And we did free them from their riders,” he reminded, waving his hands slowly to either side of them where new dragons had joined their ranks. Tiamat did not respond so he had to continue. “And _I_ have never harmed any of your children,” he emphasized before falling silent again. It was nearly his only defense. True, he had not personally slain any of her children, but he had very much been the instrument of many of their demise and misery.

Tiamat let him have his silence and life. For now. He was alive only because he had in fact freed her. And, for a short time, had been in control of her. As galling as that fact was, it had given her a chance to adjust to the new world she’d awakened to before growing beyond his power. After that, it had amused her to let him think he had control initially, but his presence had soon grown tiresome. Now though, she was more than ready to be free of him. Especially since he was of no use to her against Bahamut anymore. Something had happened. Bahamut’s body was not in the Aerie. He was not dead though. It would be a mistake to believe so. She would have felt it. Would have known, but if he wasn’t in his body, he was in hiding and that did not set well with her. _We’re going home,_ she told him, startling the human into flinching.

“But… what about Kokoshir? What about the other dragons on the island?” he floundered, aghast at leaving so soon.

_They can wait. Or come to me,_ she shrugged. If Bahamut was not using his influence, her presence would likely pull many dragons to her anyway. They would return to their mother if no one else was claiming their attention. She would keep them safe then. Her poor, confused and stunted children. They were but shades of their true selves.

In time, they could become what they should be. She would make sure of it. But first, she had to confirm that Bahamut would not get in the way. He had nearly beaten her before and it was likely he could do so again. But without him in the way, she would help her first and dearest children reclaim this world. It was theirs in the beginning after all.

Taekwoon was nearly sick with worry and fear as Insoo’s wing finally made it to the sundered Aerie. Despondent wretches met them on the broken grounds, most faces turned longingly towards the north and not a dragon in sight. _What happened?_ he asked Jonghyun, confused by what he was seeing.

_Unsure,_ was the copper’s quick reply.

_Wait… where’s Jinki?_ he added, scanning the grounds and not seeing the familiar presence.

He flinched when Gunwoo roared in announcement of their arrival. They heard a faint cry from somewhere down below, which was slightly reassuring since it meant some dragons had survived or remained, but much of their attention was focused on the rubble of their home. A yawning crater had been dug into the center of the Aerie and there seemed to be a small opening in the bottom. It didn’t make sense…

As soon as they touched down, Taekwoon scrambled out of his harness and hit the ground running, sprinting for the Aerie Master’s office. “Jinki?!” he called out, bolting through the two sets of broken doors, the innermost door and then pausing at the yawning darkness before him. Taking a deep breath as his inner dragon surfaced almost immediately, he blinked quickly and realized he had been here. He could smell him. “Where?” he asked as if to himself, eyes adjusting quickly to try and glean anything they could from the darkness. Even dragon sight failed him here though… “Jinki?” he called again, blindly making his way down the staircase by feel alone.

But he tripped on something uneven and hard, falling against a rough surface that rushed up too quickly and hit his face. Stunned, he groaned and reeled back, forehead smarting, only to blink the pain away and return a half-breath later, feeling his way along the surface. “No,” he gasped, moving gloved palms along the hardness in front of him. Whatever had happened, there was no way forward. Stone blocked his path. “No, no, no, no!” he panted, starting to claw at the debris frantically.

_Rider,_ his dragon called, the sound sharp and hard, like a smack to the back of the head.

Taekwoon froze, trembling. _He was here,_ he explained shakily, willing as much calm into his tone as possible.

_Mate says may have something,_ Jonghyun responded softly. _Come back._

_But…_

_Come back!_ his copper repeated, firmer this time.

Taekwoon hit the dark wall with a gloved fist and growled under his breath. He winced when something wet slipped into the corner of his eye and wiped at his face reflexively. “Fine,” he grumbled, turning to clamber up the stairs, using all fours to navigate in a safer manner.

The soft light of the office was almost too much compared to the total darkness he’d endured and he flinched away, sight returning to normal as his dragon apparently fled. With narrowed eyes, he stepped out and into broad daylight, searching for his dragon. He nearly ran into Chaerin first and she looked at him in surprise and concern. “What?” he practically snapped, more than ready to brush past her.

Her mouth firmed though and she stepped in front of him immediately, grabbing his arm to stop him as he tried to move by without pausing. She shifted back a step with his momentum but they both stopped stiffly. “You’re bleeding,” she said when he looked down at her with a glare.

“Huh?” he blinked, confused.

She ignored him and took the glove off her hand with her teeth to wipe at his face quickly, fingers coming away smeared with red. “What happened?”

Taekwoon’s frustration didn’t go away but he tamped it down as much as he could. Part of him knew how foolish he was acting, but it was hard not to react so when his other half was missing and his dragon half was more than happy to come out and play in his agitated state. “I hit a wall,” he grumbled, taking a breath as he let her clear off the worst of the cut on his forehead. _What did Jongup find?_ he asked to distract himself, seeing his copper nearby. All around, the returned riders were moving amidst the dejected humans on the ground and he could see other dragons making their way to the top as well.

_In the hole. Feels mate,_ Jonghyun answered, tossing his head towards the crater in the middle of the Aerie.

“Enough,” he murmured, gently grasping Chaerin’s hand as she continued taking care of him. Her glare of frustration could have cut stone, but he added, “Thank you,” and it softened immediately.

“Just, take care of yourself,” she grumbled, stepping away so that she wouldn’t push him, if her posture was any indication.

Taekwoon nodded in response and stepped away. He knew it wasn’t a good answer and he should have felt some kind of remorse but he was focused only on his dragon just then. _Let’s go,_ he urged, hopping on Jonghyun as the copper looked towards the hole where Jongup was currently circling.

_Here._ The voice was weak and small, but Jongup was easy to recognize. Their connection wasn’t nearly as strong as what he shared with Jonghyun, however it was enough in this situation. _Mate feel._

 _Where?_ Taekwoon asked, staring down into the crater.

_Here!_ Jongup howled as he threw himself at the small opening at the bottom. It was large enough for him normally, but he crashed through an edge and widened the hole further, making it just large enough for Jonghyun and Taekwoon to pass through without trouble.

The ground rose up too fast and Jonghyun crashed into the surface heavily, his chest hitting the stone when his legs weren’t strong enough to stop him entirely. _Ouch…_ he groaned through their mind link.

_You okay?_ Taekwoon asked, quickly kicking free to lighten his dragon’s burden as well as to try to look around.

_Go,_ Jonghyun urged, gesturing towards Jongup who was already moving in the dark.

Taekwoon blinked again and his vision shifted to dragon sight once more. This time, there was enough ambient light to let him see into the cavernous opening they were in. An overpowering scent made him shiver in tense recognition. No… he didn’t know it, but his dragon half did. Bahamut. But the dragon god wasn’t here… Where was he? He should be here…

_Here!_ Jongup’s cry broke through whatever questions Taekwoon had.

Immediately, he sprinted through the gloom, feet nearly slipping on the too smooth surface. Jongup’s wings were flared as he shifted from side to side, nose nudging at something amidst the rubble. It was only because Taekwoon had dragon sight that he was able to see the crumpled figure lying atop broken debris. “Jinki!” he gasped, throwing himself at the other man, knees crying out on the uneven surface.

Jongup moved back with a whimper of concern. Jonghyun shuffled close a breath later, nearly blocking the light as he towered over both his rider and the other man. Taekwoon didn’t say anything while he gathered Jinki into his arms, eyes scouring his form for obvious injuries and one hand touching, questing to make sure he was whole. There was no immediate reaction and Taekwoon froze, yanking his glove off with his teeth so he could place his fingers under Jinki’s nose to feel if there was breath. He was alive!

“Jinki?” he tried again, whispering as he brushed the backs of his fingers against the other man’s cheek. “I’m here,” he added, tracing his fingertips along Jinki’s temples and drawing his hair out of his face. “Come on, my heart,” he whispered, pausing to cup the unconscious man’s cheek in his palm so he could simply stare at his other half, willing him to wake up with every fiber in his being. “Jinki. Please,” he begged, closing his eyes and leaning close so he could rest their foreheads together.

One breath went by in silence. Another. One more… “Mmm…”

“Jinki?” Taekwoon inhaled sharply, pulling back with a hard swallow so he could see for himself.

Eyelids scrunched together, reluctant to wake, before opening with a fluttering of lashes. Taekwoon stared as he thought he saw silver flash across the glossy surface before disappearing entirely, leaving nothing more than coffee brown eyes in their wake. Those same orbs blinked in confusion before focusing in his direction and then widening in hesitant recognition. “Taekwoon?” he whispered, staring in blank understanding.

He couldn’t see him. Taekwoon realized it a half-breath later. “I’m here,” he exhaled, immediately pulling his other half close and holding him tight, cupping the back of Jinki’s head.

Jinki gasped and reached to hold fast, arms clinging reflexively. “How…?”

“I thought I lost you,” Taekwoon admitted in a pitiful voice, pressing his lips against Jinki’s hair. When he hadn’t seen him with the others and with the state of the office…

“What happened?” Jinki asked, fingers grasping hard to the other man.

“I don’t know,” Taekwoon admitted, partially looking around to see what he could. There was rubble nearby and he thought he smelled blood under the overwhelming scent of what had to be Bahamut, but the cavern they were in was otherwise empty…

_Mate okay,_ Jonghyun preened in obvious satisfaction. _Mate also happy,_ he added, thoughts pressing in to interrupt Taekwoon with ease.

_Yes,_ he responded in mental agreement, even as he held Jinki tighter, relief flooding every part of him. “But you’re okay,” he whispered, burying his nose in the other man’s neck, filling his sense of smell with his Jinki.

“I’m here, love,” Jinki murmured, one hand soothing Taekwoon’s hair. It was a reflexive gesture more than anything. “But… where’s Bahamut? And… what happened?” he asked again, still completely lost.

“It doesn’t matter,” Taekwoon grumbled, arms holding tighter as if he could somehow keep the outside world from interfering in this moment. “You’re okay and I’m here.”

“Woonie,” Jinki practically cried, holding on as tight as he possibly could.

If Taekwoon could have made this moment last forever, he might well have. But the outside world would not wait for them or their sentiments. _Gunwoo calling,_ Jonghyun whispered after a moment of blissful silence.

_What does he want?_ Taekwoon mumbled, petulant in the distraction.

_Insoo wants to make sure mate is okay and speak with all,_ his dragon explained simply, a helpless shrug obvious in his response.

_Ugh,_ Taekwoon mentally groaned, taking a partial breath as he convinced his body to relax its hold on Jinki so he could look down at him again. “Can you move?” he asked softly, tracing his fingers over his other half’s face once more, as if he was trying to memorize every feature with his fingertips.

“Yes, I think so,” Jinki nodded in agreement. “I’m okay. Just… confused I think,” he admitted, searching for Taekwoon’s hand so he could hold tight.

“I’ve got you,” he promised without hesitation, firming his grip. “Come on,” the rider whispered, standing up carefully on the uneven surface. With extra care, he guided Jinki away from the debris, one arm looped around his waist and the other gripping the trembling hand. “Jong,” he called out, looking at the outline of his dragon against the backdrop of light.

_Ride mate. I will make way easier,_ he responded instead, jumping off the ground as he did so and attacking the opening with single minded focus.

For just a moment, Taekwoon watched the dragon tear chunks of stone free, knocking them away from the trio below. But then he felt Jinki shift just a touch, almost like he was swaying. “Jongup,” he called, guiding them towards the nervous blue. Without needing to be told, Jongup lowered himself low to the ground and waited as patiently as he could. “Easy,” Taekwoon crooned, moving step by step with Jinki as they climbed onto Jongup’s forearm like a step.

“I’m okay,” Jinki promised, the hint of a laugh hidden in his voice.

“I know, just…” Taekwoon trailed off with a shrug, obviously hovering. “Here,” he encouraged, stepping up enough to make himself a bridge to help push Jinki into position.

“I’ve got it, Woonie,” his other half assured him, though he did use the rider’s shoulder as a support before he squeezed it warmly.

“Okay. I’m coming up behind you now,” Taekwoon called, clambering atop with practiced ease. “Just hold onto the harness. I won’t let you fall,” he promised solemnly, securing his straps to the harness and then wrapping both arms around Jinki’s waist to hold him close against his body, legs firming against Jongup’s sides in the process. Jinki nodded in understanding, hands moving from Taekwoon’s to grab onto the harness in front of him. “Jongup. We’re ready,” he called aloud so his other half would hear it too.

_Okay,_ the blue responded with an obvious nod. His body heaved up in one smooth motion, surprising Jinki all the same. He gasped and tensed up, the sensation obvious under Taekwoon’s hold. _We go up,_ he added, head turning towards the opening before he spread his wings and hopped into the air. Jonghyun was still working at the outermost edges but the blue moved close and then stalled as he started to fly straight up.

It was a challenging task, made more so by the small space and the added weight. Taekwoon had to work extra hard to keep them leaning forward as he fought the motion of each wing beat and the pull of gravity below. But they were fortunate that it didn’t take long to clear the opening. As soon as he safely could, Jongup leveled out and simply started climbing up, switching back to flying in a rising spiral when it became easier to do so. Jonghyun wasn’t far behind them. He made more noise in getting out of the hole, widening it further, but followed a similar pattern as Jongup’s departure.

But even as they all cleared the hole and made their way to land on solid ground again, Taekwoon could tell that Jinki was not prepared for what he saw. In all honesty, now that he’d found his other half, he wasn’t really ready for the situation either. Of course he’d seen it when they’d flown in, but his initial panic and driving focus was gone, letting the nature of their current reality settle in painfully.

“What happened?” Jinki asked in a mere whisper, his voice carrying back just enough because the wind caught it.

“Tiamat,” Taekwoon murmured back, hugging Jinki tighter around the waist as he rested his chin on the other man’s shoulder and waited for them to land. He hadn’t seen her do the damage, but that was the only explanation he could offer, especially since Bahamut was missing but it didn’t seem as if he’d come out of the mountain. The destruction, the missing dragons, the utter despair that hung in the air like fog… they had to be Tiamat’s doing.

“But… what happened to Bahamut?” he asked, shaking his head as if confused.

“I don’t know,” Taekwoon answered in honest confusion. “The Aerie was like this when we arrived. Tiamat was flying away and you… were in the hole in the ground,” he explained, glancing at Jinki’s profile out of the corner of his eye.

“Oh…” Jinki exhaled, hands moving to tighten around Taekwoon’s, clinging hard when Jongup touched down.

Taekwoon didn’t move for a moment, letting Jongup settle and using the time to simply hold his other half. His discomfit hadn’t settled yet at how close he’d been to losing his other half and he really didn’t want to let go yet. But neither had the luxury of claiming time for themselves. As soon as Insoo saw that Taekwoon had Jinki with him, the Wing Leader made his way over to start asking questions.

Unfortunately, Jinki didn’t have many answers. Looking to the despondent Commander Yunho wasn’t much help either. His mood was unresponsive and his eyes were glassy, still staring to the north. Nor was he the only rider to be in such a state. Healers Mimi, Henry, and Himchan moved among them as quickly as possible while Paramours Heechul and Hyosung offered comfort and consolation as best they could. And when Seunghyun finally arrived, ferried by one of the dragons from below, he was the one to take control of the bleak situation.

Taekwoon saw the older Combat Master take stock of the terrain with quick, critical eyes. He flinched when the sharp gaze raked over him, noticing the rider and Aerie Master almost nonchalantly before slipping past, taking note of everyone and everything he could see. He nodded once and took a short breath. “Wing Leader Insoo. Get your wing to help the riders. Ask Master Mimi if you have questions. Sanghyuk! Check the dining hall. Joy! Find out the condition of the sleeping hall. Jimin! Go find Master Junjin! Aerie Master! With me!” he finally called, the command reaching Taekwoon first.

He jerked in surprise and held tighter to Jinki, not wanting to let go of the other man. That seemed to alert Jinki to the fact he was the acting Aerie Master and he inhaled once, looking around as if coming out of a stupor. “No,” Taekwoon murmured in quiet denial, pulling his other half to him just a bit more.

Jinki swallowed hard and turned in Taekwoon’s arms to look up at him, pale and wan and obviously overwhelmed, but trying so hard to rise to the moment. “We have to do what we can, love,” he whispered, biting his bottom lip when he finished speaking. “Help your riders,” he urged, raising a hesitant hand to brush at the crusting cut on Taekwoon’s forehead. “I won’t be far,” he mumbled, the sound nearly failing as the words almost died on his tongue and his shoulders slumped, head bowing.

It was like watching a sculpture crumble before his eyes. Taekwoon felt powerless to stop it too… “It’s not your fault,” he promised, lifting Jinki’s chin with his finger so they could look at each other.

“Maybe not,” he whispered, bottom lip trembling and voice thin. “But it feels like it is.”

Taekwoon didn’t say anything as he exhaled and pulled his other half into a tight hug. “It’s not,” he reiterated, trying to will the strength of his belief into Jinki in the hopes that it might bolster the other man.

“Aerie Master Jinki,” Seunghyun called again, gaze sliding away from them after a short glance.

“Taekwoon,” Insoo called, grabbing his wing mate’s attention.

Jinki laughed, a hollow sound. “Go,” he urged, pushing at Taekwoon with a defeated air hovering around him.

The slightly taller rider didn’t know what to do. He glanced at his Wing Leader, confused and at least a little bit angry at the interruption. His gaze shifted to Seunghyun with the same sensation, but then fell back to his mate with a similar sense of despair. He didn’t know how to pull Jinki out of this feeling. Didn’t even know if he could. Everything in him didn’t want Jinki to go and his stomach twisted when his other half tried to pull free. Taekwoon caught one hand quickly, swallowing when Jinki looked back at him in slow surprise.

“Woonie…” he exhaled, expression heavy.

Taekwoon pulled Jinki to him, trapping him against his body as he looked down into his mate’s face. The warmth of Jinki’s breath brushed against his cheek and Taekwoon forced a weak smile. “It’s not your fault. And even it if it was, it wouldn’t matter. You are my mate. My heart. What is yours is mine. For good or ill.”

Jinki’s eyes glowed a warm earth color in the sunlight, a watery sheen making them brighter than usual. “Woonie,” he whispered again, a degree of life returning to the sound.

Taekwoon’s smile widened into a more natural expression and he kissed Jinki, cupping his face with both hands. He wasn’t as good with words as Jinki was, but he didn’t have to be when he could at least show him what he meant, what he felt. He broke their kiss and pulled apart just enough to rest their foreheads together as he spoke again. “Do what you must, but I am here. Always,” he promised, lifting his lips to Jinki’s forehead and then stepping back to create just a little distance between them.

“Thank you, Woonie,” Jinki laughed once, the sound weak and forced but better than the dead tone it had been earlier.

This time, when Jinki pulled away, Taekwoon let him. Reluctantly of course. But the change was noticeable. His other half wasn’t better but there was a hint of life in him again as he steadily joined Seunghyun for whatever the Combat Master wanted to talk about. When he heard someone clear their throat, he looked to the side in mild surprise. Insoo looked at him with a raised brow and a bemused smile. Taekwoon shrugged and looked away, not entirely sure how to respond. His Wing Leader didn’t press though. He just tapped Taekwoon on the shoulder with a light fist and then jerked his head to the side mutely, calling him along to other tasks. They had a lot of work to do after all.


	56. Picking up the Pieces

With a heavy sigh, Chaerin slumped against Fei’s golden hide and huddled close with a hunk of bread and a bowl of thin soup.

Three days.

This was the third day of returning to the Aerie after Tiamat’s attack and they’d done little more than work and try to make sense of things. Unlike the others, Chaerin was just tired. Oh, of course the destruction bothered her too, but the Aerie hadn’t been home like it had been for the others. Nor had she lost her dragon, though she could relate to the sympathy the remaining riders felt for those that had lost theirs most recently.

Given the situation, with Bahamut gone and Tiamat having accomplished what she otherwise wanted to do, the general consensus was that the Aerie should be safe for now. Barring any wilds or surprise attacks from the Dawnbringer Battalion, home was still home. It didn’t help that Miremaw hadn’t been the most helpful of cities after the attack. Too afraid to send people to check on the Aerie and perhaps equally glad they hadn’t been targeted. Or maybe they were resentful of their previous interaction and this was a form of payback. It didn’t matter. The Aerie was on their own for the time being.

At least they were good about that, even if everyone was handling it with single minded intensity. The Healers and Paramours were busy tending to the wounded and the dragonless, a full time endeavor that left them just as exhausted as everyone else. They’d snagged the youngest and oldest residents to help with general care and supervision while everyone else was focused on rebuilding; that included all the Masters, riders, residents, trainees and some of their healthier dragons left. Yesterday had been particularly hard because they’d found Satoru’s crushed remains in the space where Bahamut was supposed to have been.

Bothered by the unsolved mystery that was Bahamut, she took a bite of bread and looked around, taking note of where everyone was. Taecyeon and his wings had returned yesterday and the strongest among them were helping with clearing wreckage so the humans could reside here if they wanted to. While the riders were fine sleeping outside with their dragons, everyone else needed some kind of safe and secure shelter, especially the wounded and the suffering. Not entirely unexpectedly, none of her kin had returned with them. She’d been reassured that those who had been alive when she’d left remained so, but they had all chosen to stay. Chaerin couldn’t blame them. Under different circumstances, she might well have opted not to return too. But at least she had Hyunseung, even if he was working with the rest with single minded focus.

Humming to herself, she nodded and murmured, “They have done a good job of keeping themselves distracted. Don’t you think?”

Fei snorted at the question but the sensation of agreement flowed through their bond. Chaerin felt a general inquiry follow and she puzzled over the answer for a moment.

She didn’t understand details like the normal Aerie riders did. All she could do was make an educated guess about what Fei was asking or saying and keep trying until she got it. At least unless she went into Trance to speak directly to her, but that took too much attention and left her completely off guard out here. Eventually, she decided on what her dragon had probably asked her and gave a response. “I have thought about going. Following Tiamat to where my father most likely is, but what would that accomplish? She’d likely take you from me as soon as we got close and I don’t want that,” she exhaled, placing her hand against the smooth warm skin.

The gold dragon bent her neck so she could nuzzle at her rider affectionately, content to accept light scratches over her eye ridges. Her next push through their bond made Chaerin snort and laugh as she gently pushed the head away.

“It’s confusing, alright?” she grumbled, setting her sights on Taekwoon. He seemed worn down but was otherwise recovering well after being sick and getting over his injuries. It wasn’t surprising that he was now staying very near Jinki since they were all taking a break before dark. The pair had settled like she had, resting against Jonghyun’s copper hide with Jongup stationed right next to his mate. “You know the dragon in me likes him. Well, dragon him,” she clarified, pressing her lips together in annoyance. As far as men went, he was pleasing to look at, and as a human, he had some admirable qualities, but he was undeniably spoken for and... “Part of me is attracted to him. The other half can’t get past what my father wanted him for.” The very thought turned her stomach and she set her unfinished bowl aside with a groan. From afar, she could still remember that and think objectively about the situation. When she got close, it seemed as if general proximity had an effect on how she felt in any given moment. If she didn’t know better, she would have thought it was because their dragon halves were syncing or responding to each other.

Fei didn’t mention anything for a bit, turning her attention to Taekwoon’s dragons instead. They seemed to be looking at each other and Chaerin got the impression they were talking. It was something else she envied. The dragons could talk to each other over short distances too. More than just body language anyway. But then the gold offered another meaningful nudge and Chaerin nodded slowly.

“Well, he has been protecting me so it’s only right that I stay and try to keep an eye on his back too.” She couldn’t deny that he’d not wanted to accept her at first, but it appeared that his own inner dragon had some sway on that matter. She’d seen it often enough to know. “I guess I’m just worried. He’s been acting too much like a dragon lately,” she mused, practically staring at Taekwoon now. Fei’s wordless agreement was easy to read.

Every moment that he wasn’t with Jinki, the rider seemed to be on high alert. He reacted to any unexpected sounds by immediately searching for the Aerie Master and if they weren’t in an immediate line of sight, he made constant efforts to go out of his way to visually see him. And he had an uncanny ability to sense when he was being watched. Like now.

Chaerin flinched when he suddenly looked up to meet her eyes, his gaze unblinking and slightly narrowed. She nodded once in acknowledgement and his expression gentled quickly when he realized it was just her. He nodded in response and then turned his attention back to Jinki who seemed to be in one of his more depressed modes.

Fei carefully pushed the food at her side towards her again with an encouraging nudge, but then sent a confusing feeling. Chaerin picked up the bowl and took another bite as she worked over the possible meanings of it. ‘Strange’ could mean a lot of things.

The whole situation was strange. Tiamat’s attack on the Aerie had been expected but she had done far less damage than Chaerin would have expected from a mad dragon god. It was possible Kevin had some sway over that, but if he had, she suspected he would have likely taken more humans. People had a disconcerting habit of disappearing around him.

Bahamut’s inexplicable disappearance. No one really talked about it, but she doubted he was dead. If nothing else, Fei would have felt something. She was sure of it. But that meant that he was missing or hiding, neither of which made her feel particularly confident. Part of the general silence could have been because most people didn’t know yet or were willfully ignorant under the circumstances. It was a lot to accept that a dragon god you had been taught to revere had been imprisoned beneath your feet and had suddenly just disappeared into what amounted to thin air.

Combat Master Seunghyun was acting like the leader of the Aerie when it should have been Aerie Master Jinki or Commander Yunho, but neither had really been able to step up yet. Jinki vacillated between depressed and strangely competent at a moment’s notice and Yunho seemed mired in despondency. And no one had made any mention of what the next step was… Yes, they were going to rebuild the Aerie, but what about Tiamat? What about the missing dragons they’d lost? What about Kevin?

When Fei didn’t respond to any of those internal musings beyond thoughtful interest, Chaerin figured her ‘strange’ nudge was referring to something else. Taekwoon was acting strange, even for him, but she’d already figured that was because of his dragon half. He was being hyper-protective of his mate and both the human and dragon halves seemed to be in agreement, resulting in… his current state. So that left… Jinki.

The gold dragon’s agreement was quick and easy to feel.

Chaerin wrinkled her nose and looked at the Aerie Master furtively, trying to keep it so that Taekwoon wouldn’t feel the need to focus on her again. It was disconcerting when he did, that first breath all dragon and predatory defensiveness. It was almost a wonder he hadn’t passed out from sheer exhaustion yet. But back to Jinki. She knew everyone’s reaction to grief and huge events like what they’d recently gone through were different, but there was just something odd about his. Oh, moments like this, she very much expected.

Jinki was currently curled up close to Taekwoon, head pillowed on the rider’s shoulder. They seemed to be talking, one hand interlaced with the other. This Jinki was fine. It was the other one she had some reservations about. Oh, she’d seen her father switch a personality lever on more than one occasion, but he’d had years of practice. It wasn’t something she’d seen Jinki do much – or at all really - and it didn’t feel right. She’d seen him pull himself together after something happened, but there was a process to it. Steps he had to take to build himself to a point. Now…

“I think what really bothers me the most is that he was down there where Bahamut was supposed to be. He remembered seeing Bahamut’s body, and apparently briefly in Trance, but the fact that he doesn’t know what happened to the dragon god is… not good,” she ended, unsure how else to describe it. Frightening for sure, but there was too much they didn’t know about the dragon god or what he was capable of.

Fei agreed with her wordlessly. She got the feeling that Taekwoon’s dragons also had similar thoughts but it seemed as if Taekwoon was more than willing to ignore that in light of the fact that his other half was otherwise unhurt. At least for the moment. That was going to have to be enough for the time being. Hopefully, it would be.

After five days of rebuilding the Aerie and otherwise pushing aside the concerns of the world beyond, Combat Master Seunghyun finally called a meeting with the remaining heads of the Aerie. Normally, Taekwoon would not be present but Jinki had insisted he come. There was something about the way he’d asked that made it hurt for Taekwoon to even think about not going so here he was, standing beside the Aerie Master as if he belonged. They weren’t holding hands but there were standing close enough for their shoulders to touch.

Seunghyun paid them no mind. Yunho didn’t even seem to realize they were there. Heechul gave them a quick smirk but his attention faded quickly. Hyesung appeared unflappable, as always, but he did at least seem more tired than usual. Somewhat surprisingly, Junjin was present, though he looked like he felt a bit out of place. On the other hand, Dongwan and Taecyeon appeared eager for the meeting to begin.

With a glance at the recently repaired and closed door of the Aerie Master’s office – it was one of the few whole and secure buildings available to them, Seunghyun nodded and turned his attention to the people present. “Repairs are well under way and our people seem to be getting back on their feet, which is good,” he explained simply, nodding with the thought. “But it’s not enough. We need to think about what’s going to happen next.”

For a brief moment, no one spoke, all eyes looking around at each other. But then Dongwan took a breath and raised his hand first. “If nothing else, we will need to reestablish contact with Miremaw. Despite their silence now, they have supplies that we need to continue rebuilding our homes.”

“True enough,” Seunghyun agreed after a delayed pause where he waited to see if Jinki would say anything. “Would you be able to lead a delegation to them soon in order to open communication with them again?”

Dongwan nodded and answered quickly. “I could gather a group as early as today, but for the sake of being prepared, I might recommend going on the morrow.”

“Understood,” the Combat Master tipped his head with a short smile.

Heechul and Hyesung exchanged quick looks and the latter deferred to the former so that he might speak first. Heechul took a small step forward and raised both hands flippantly. “Really, all we can do at the moment is continue treating the residents and dragons. Considering what they’ve gone through, that will likely be our sole concern for many more days to come.” Hyesung nodded sagely in agreement, his arms crossed loosely over his body.

“Speaking of sole concerns,” Junjin added hesitantly, taking a half step forward with his shoulders slightly hunched. It was obvious he was not normally called to larger meetings as an active participant. “Our food supplies are getting low. I can make what we have last for a while but… it won’t be helping much if we don’t get more soon. And the dragons’ll need more livestock soon too. With so many hurtin, they’ve been eating more than usual, so…” he trailed off with a helpless grimace.

“Understood,” Seunghyun bowed his head once, glancing at Dongwan.

The Dragon Master nodded in understanding and turned his attention to Junjin. “We’ll have you join the delegation to Miremaw on the morrow as well then. You can help us negotiate the food we’ll need for the time being.” His attention shifted back to Seunghyun when he continued, “We’ll also see about sending out small patrols to go hunting in the surrounding areas. With Tiamat gone,” nearly everyone collectively winced at the name, “we shouldn’t have to worry about as many wilds in the area.”

“Speaking of Tiamat,” Yunho interrupted suddenly before Seunghyun could respond. “What are we going to do about her?”

Beside him, Taekwoon felt Jinki tense up and it almost seemed as if there was a shift of some sort, but considering who they were now talking about, it made sense to him. He was tense about the dragon god too. Especially because the question wasn’t just about the dragon herself, but also those she’d taken with her.

Silence settled heavily over them as no one had an answer. Yunho’s hidden desperation was almost palpable but even Seunghyun had no good response to give. Hyesung took the opportunity to step up and inhaled, “If you’re going to be speaking of matters outside the Aerie now, I think we shall take our leave.” He gestured collectively at Heechul, Junjin, and Dongwan before nodding at the door. “We have much to attend to here already.”

“Fair point,” Seunghyun agreed, bowing his head slightly as the four filed out of the office in uncomfortable silence. When they were gone, the remaining people drew closer together and the Combat Master spoke again, “Any suggestions? My duty is to protect the Aerie here so I cannot promise help, but if I can offer advice, I would be glad to do so.”

Yunho grimaced as his hands balled into fists. “We _have_ to get our dragons back!” he growled, eyes glued to the floor.

“Commander…” Taecyeon murmured sympathetically, one hand partially rising as if to reach out and comfort him.

“How?” Jinki finally spoke, his voice oddly calm. Taekwoon glanced at him out of the corner of his eye with a raised brow, just as surprised as everyone else that he’d said anything at all.

Yunho practically glared at the shorter man when he responded, “We find a way to go and get them.”

Jinki’s brows furrowed. “But isn’t that impossible?” When the Commander seemed about to argue, Jinki glanced at Taekwoon with a slight shrug but turned his attention back to the group and added, “With her size and what she’s capable of, just going after her isn’t enough.”

As much as he obviously wanted to argue, even Yunho couldn’t deny the truth of that statement. He deflated quickly, shoulders sinking as his head drooped too. “There has to be _something_ ,” he muttered, staring at his hands in helpless frustration.

Taekwoon had an absolutely crazy thought but no one else seemed to have anything yet so he quietly raised his hand. When all eyes shifted to him, he took a small breath and asked, “What about trying to talk to her in Trance?” While he expected the incredulous looks from the others, he was slightly caught off guard by the sharp glance he felt from Jinki. It didn’t last more than a heartbeat but it was still disconcerting.

“What do you mean?” Taecyeon asked with a shake of his head. “I mean, even _if_ you could get close enough to manage it, wouldn’t she be more powerful in Trance? Provided she even let you go into Trance with her.”

“Well…” Taekwoon murmured, stepping back as the idea fell apart before him. “It was just a thought.” Disappointed by the response, he didn’t miss Jinki relaxing slightly beside him, as if he was relieved. For just a moment, he reached out to his dragon. _Does mate seem odd to you?_

He felt Jonghyun thinking, possibly speaking with Jongup as well, before he responded, _Maybe. Mate says many feelings. Change often. Maybe just stress._

_Maybe,_ Taekwoon responded, though it didn’t assuage the tiny knot that was forming in his stomach. He knew the man beside him was his Jinki and he also knew he’d gone through a lot, but… there was something not quite right. Of course he was reluctant to even think it, so most of the time he didn’t. It was just that things weren’t exactly adding up the way they should be.

“What about Kevin?” Jinki asked into the silence.

“Huh?”

“You said that Kevin was with Tiamat when they came,” he added, looking directly at Yunho for confirmation, his tone unusually strong.

“Yes…” the Commander trailed off uncertainly, even as a glimmer of hope appeared in his voice.

“Might it be possible that he could do something about Tiamat’s power?” he asked with a shrug, more of his usual mannerisms making their way into his response. “I mean, if he did free Tiamat, he should have some power and maybe we could get him to help us.”

Taekwoon watched his other half with a thoughtful expression. _Something strange indeed,_ he mused to his dragon. It was subtle. Not obvious at all, but that sudden tiny shift was not normal for Jinki. And it didn’t just feel like he was rising to the occasion either.

“That would depend on the High Priest,” Seunghyun commented with a wave of his hand. “We don’t know if he’s alive or even what kind of power he has over her. If we’re wrong, it could very well be a death sentence for anyone who decided to go.”

“But there’s a chance, right?” Yunho asked almost desperately, looking between the Combat Master and the Aerie Master.

“I mean… there’s always a chance, but…” Jinki trailed off, now at a loss.

“Then we should take it,” the Commander urged, becoming more energetic as he spoke. “If we just wait for her to come back, there’s nothing we can do against her. She’s too powerful and there are too many dragons on her side. But!” he snapped, looking at both of the leaders with shining eyes, “if we go to where she is. If we send a small group that might be enough to sneak in. It’s _possible_ we can get to Kevin and at least try.”

Seunghyun, Taecyeon, Jinki, and Taekwoon all grimaced, but no one could really argue. It _was_ possible, but they all knew it was also quite likely to fail. The forces against them were enormous. The Combat Master took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers. “I can’t believe I’m saying this but, define small and who would go?”

Yunho raised his hand immediately. “I would.”

“You don’t have a dragon though,” Seunghyun reminded him flatly.

“Then I’ll ride with someone who does!” the Commander retorted with firm conviction.

The Combat Master raised a brow and took another small breath. “So you,” he gestured, obviously waiting for a continuation.

“I…” he trailed off, hitting a wall of uncertainty.

“It should be volunteers,” Taecyeon interjected, motioning at Yunho to calm down. “One wing. Maybe two.”

“We’ll have to ask the other riders then,” Jinki nodded thoughtfully.

“And we won’t be able to fly with Stardust Battalion markings or strappings. It would be too obvious,” Yunho murmured, his mind thinking rapidly about the possibilities now that he had a direction. “Would there be a way to hide the riders? Tiamat doesn’t care for humans so flying in her territory with obvious riders might end the game before it’s begun.”

“We can ask Dongwan and Minjun,” Taekwoon offered, remembering how both were pretty knowledgeable about all things possible with dragons. “And Minsoo is pretty good about coming up with workarounds when needed,” he added, recalling how the leatherworker had helped him with Jonghyun’s harness.

“We can ask them when we speak with the other riders,” Seunghyun agreed, rubbing at his chin thoughtfully. “It would also be a good idea to have someone that knows Kevin well to go along too.”

“We could ask Chaerin,” Jinki thought out loud. The suggestion immediately made Taekwoon tense up, almost involuntarily.

“Right. She is his daughter,” Yunho agreed with a quick nod.

“Hyunseung came back with her too,” Taecyeon added, glancing at the other four people.

“Right. She did say they were kin,” Jinki murmured, thumbing at his bottom lip.

“So, given the situation, we want to ask dragonrider volunteers to sneak into Bondsland to try and find High Priest Kevin, if he’s still alive, so that he _might_ be able to help us stop Tiamat and get our dragons back,” Seunghyun summed up as matter of factly as he could. It was almost a miracle he didn’t laugh at the absurdity of it, but Yunho nodded in quick agreement. When the Commander looked around the gathering, the other three followed his response reluctantly. “Okay then,” Seunghyun shrugged, tilting his head to the side in disbelieving acceptance. “We can announce a meeting for tomorrow and speak with the others. After that, if enough agree, we can decide where to go from there. Is that acceptable?” he asked, looking at the Aerie Master and Commander in particular.

“Yes,” Yunho answered, the hint of a hopeful smile on his face.

“For now,” Jinki echoed, showing more reluctance but he was thoughtful about it too.

“Then let’s call it here for today,” the Combat Master urged, looking at the other four. “I’ll set the time and place and get runners to let the others know.”

“Thank you,” Jinki smiled, obviously grateful for the other man’s help. Seunghyun gave a half-hearted shrug, as if to say it was nothing, and then nodded at the others before quietly stepping out.

“I’ll go give the Wing Leaders a heads up,” Taecyeon added when the Combat Master had left.

“I’ll come with you,” Yunho called out, quickly following in the other rider’s footsteps.

That suddenly left Taekwoon and Jinki alone in the office, with far too many thoughts and concerns to be at ease with. “That was unexpected,” Jinki admitted after a brief pause.

“Agreed,” Taekwoon nodded, turning his full attention on his other half so he could watch him closely. He looked very much like himself now. But he did look slightly uncomfortable. As if something was on his mind. “What is it?” he wondered, brushing the backs of his fingertips against Jinki’s cheek.

Jinki ducked his head almost shyly, but then looked up a heartbeat later, his gaze surprisingly steady. “I think I should go with the riders who will go to Bondsland,” he announced, looking at Taekwoon as if to see how he would react.

At first, the statement didn’t register. It was so ridiculous. The Aerie Master going on a quite likely to fail mission in enemy territory? “What?” Taekwoon eventually blinked when Jinki didn’t laugh or change his statement. “No.”

“Chaerin might not be enough to convince him,” Jinki shook his head, grabbing Taekwoon’s hand in his and holding gently. “As the Aerie Master, I can at least offer some promises or perhaps try to bribe him with something if need be,” he continued with a quick shrug.

“No,” Taekwoon repeated firmly. “It’s too dangerous. As the Aerie Master, the only one we have left especially, you must stay safe,” he stated, brows furrowed. He didn’t need to add that part of his reluctance was very much because he didn’t want his other half to be put in that kind of danger regardless.

Jinki gave him a sad smile that also felt a touch hollow when Taekwoon saw it. “I also think I need to do this to make up for what happened here,” he added, shaking his head so that he didn’t meet Taekwoon’s eyes, but his voice was oddly strong again all the same. Still looking partly down, he went on, “Not to mention I need to know why.” When he looked up, he met the rider’s gaze evenly. “Why did Kevin do all this? Why did he hurt so many people and cause so much pain?” he asked, chewing the inside of his bottom lip as he finished. “For Satoru’s sake, and mine, I need to know what he wanted to accomplish.”

Taekwoon was torn. That was a powerful question indeed, and one he wanted answers to as well. He’d been Kevin’s focus for long enough to know there was still too much he didn’t know and he wanted answers for a great many things. With a grimace and a groan, he looked away, thoughts racing. “I still think it’s too dangerous but… we can talk about it more tomorrow when we see what we have to work with.”

“Yeah?” Jinki asked gently, tilting his head to look into Taekwoon’s face better.

“Yeah,” the rider agreed quietly, feeling deeply troubled.

“Good,” his other half smiled, stepping close to embrace him, his chin resting on Taekwoon’s shoulder.

Reflexively, Taekwoon hugged him back, but even as he did so, he reached for his dragon. _Do you feel it too?_

_Yes,_ was the quick but slightly confused reply. _Something off._

His arms tightened around Jinki just a touch as the knot in his stomach grew just a bit larger. His other half wasn’t sick or hurt or anything like that, but something was different. It scared Taekwoon because the only thing that had happened was his meeting with Bahamut before the dragon god disappeared. It frightened him that there was a very small possibility the two things might be connected. And if they really were, Taekwoon didn’t know what he could do. If anything.


	57. Volunteers Needed

He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t at least a little excited by the thought that they might actually try to sneak into Tiamat’s territory. Taekwoon had held his peace when Taecyeon asked the remaining riders if any would be willing to go on what likely amounted to a suicide mission in the off chance that they might be able to find a way to stop Tiamat. He wasn’t entirely surprised when Hyunseong’s hand almost immediately went up. That one still burned with rage over Jeongmin’s death. It was likely he was responding to his dragon’s anger too. Losing anyone was hard; losing a twin – a literal shell brother – was almost unimaginable.

Taecyeon, however, did seem a bit caught off guard by the speed of the response. “That makes one,” announced steadily, keeping his eyes as neutral as possible as he looked around the rest of the riders.

It took a moment for any others to work up the nerve or make up their minds. Either way, Chaerin followed suit, glancing at her kinsman before looking at Taekwoon, almost expectant. He held still though, waiting to see who else would rise to the challenge first. Subdued whispers rasped through the air, creating a general hum of sound that almost vibrated. When it seemed as if no one else was sure, Jinki took the opportunity to raise his hand.

“I will go,” he announced deliberately, making sure all could hear him.

Now Taecyeon looked completely surprised. “What? You cannot go. You are the Aerie Master,” he countered, shaking his head immediately.

“Which is why I _should_ go. If we do find the High Priest, we may need more to convince him to help us,” he explained simply, eyes blinking in slow measures.

“But you don’t have a dragon,” the Wing Leader added with a frown.

As Taekwoon raised his hand to volunteer, he corrected the other rider, “He has Jongup.” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Chaerin looking between them speculatively. While he would have preferred Jinki waiting to jump in, now that he had, Taekwoon would not leave him alone.

Clearly at a loss, Taecyeon looked to Yunho with a helpless shrug. The Commander looked at the Aerie Master with a sour expression and hard eyes. Jinki met his gaze without reservation and eventually it was the rider that looked away first. He nodded once with a glance at Taecyeon. “It’s alright. I will stay,” he explained, voice bereft of emotion.

“But…” the acting Captain trailed off, just as lost as everyone else.

“He _does_ have a dragon and where he goes, Taekwoon goes,” Yunho explained, shoulders slumping as he exhaled in reluctant defeat. “And it wouldn’t be fair for me, or anyone who lost their dragon, to go when so few others would have the same chance.” His voice broke as he finished speaking, but it was enough. He was done.

Still unsure, Taecyeon tilted his head to the side with a mystified look and then inhaled. “Alright. That makes four then…”

Taekwoon heard a quiet sigh nearby and turned just in time to see Insoo raising his hand, lips pressed together and one brow raised while he looked at the three riders in particular. “I’ll go. They are my wing mates after all,” he explained with a simple shrug before he crossed his arms over his chest to see what else would happen.

“Soo,” Taekwoon whispered, not expecting the gesture. He was further surprised when he felt the mood shift and four additional hands rose in unison. “Guys…” he laughed once, a quiet sound with real gratitude.

“Where Insoo goes, we go,” Jinyoung stated simply, nodding once at their Wing Leader before looking up to acting Captain Taecyeon. The motion was followed in turn by Wooyoung, Jungkook, and Taeyeon.

“Foolish,” Insoo snorted once with a shake of his head but he nodded at them all the same and then looked expectantly at Taecyeon in turn. They were all a little banged up from their excursion to Kokoshir but everyone, including their dragons, were well enough to fly.

“Huh,” the Wing Leader huffed, both confused and impressed if the conflicting emotions on his face were any indication. He paused for a moment as he looked at the volunteering wing and then shifted his attention to the rest of the crowd. “Anyone else?”

Every rider looked around the group, clearly weighing the chances of going. Taekwoon knew that many wanted to go, and not just the ground bound riders. But he was equally aware they were afraid. If this venture failed, then they would likely meet whatever fate the volunteers were going to face – what those who had already lost their dragons had faced and perhaps worse - but they would have more time with their dragon and a possibility of escaping it for at least a little while. On the other hand, if the venture succeeded, they would have helped everyone. It was a tough choice for anyone, much less those who were bound to their dragons.

“This is probably enough,” Jinki called out softly, expression thoughtful. “We don’t need too many. It’ll be easier with a smaller number.”

That the statement was likely true didn’t make Taekwoon feel any better, especially since it had come from Jinki. Anyone else and it would have been normal… acceptable. From the Aerie Master, it was odd to say the least. Jonghyun seemed to agree with the thought as he hovered nearby, listening in intently.

“We’ll leave it at that number for now then,” Yunho announced in a steady but quiet voice. “If anyone else wants to join, they can come see me or Taecyeon later,” he added, gesturing at the other wing leader without looking at him. With a nod in the other rider’s direction, Yunho stepped back and turned to rest against the wall, arms crossed over his chest.

“Right,” Taecyeon agreed, swallowing as he realized he was left to close the meeting. “Volunteers, please stay. Everyone else can go for now,” he explained, licking his lips quickly with a motion towards the dining hall doors. The room wasn’t fixed entirely but it was whole and large enough to hold all the riders.

There wasn’t much resistance to leaving either. Oh, plenty of riders brushed by, speaking in quiet voices and hushed whispers. They had many thoughts and not all of them good. Insoo was approached by a couple other wing leaders and he spoke with them easily enough before waving them off. Taekwoon stayed at Jinki’s side and weathered looks aplenty but no one opted to talk with him before they left. He felt uncertainty and judgement in their gazes, the weight of questions they couldn’t bring themselves to openly ask but that they thought and felt.

Jonghyun seemed to know more about what they were feeling. _Dragons don’t mind. Know you are more dragon than most. But humans don’t understand. You make them nervous._

 _I know,_ Taekwoon sighed, meeting the troubled gazes as evenly as he could. _Probably better that I go anyway then,_ he almost frowned, keeping the expression from his face at the last moment, but he shared it with his dragon.

The copper snorted through their bond. _When working together, they forget. But now we volunteer. Acting strange again,_ he laughed, thoroughly amused this time.

_When are we not acting strange?_ Taekwoon wondered, though he couldn’t help glancing at Jinki out of the corner of his eye. He was slightly troubled when he got the impression his other half was _covertly_ watching him. Oh, Jinki looked away just as he was turning so it could have been coincidence, but it felt like more. Granted, they watched each other often, but this was not the norm. _You’re gonna have to help me keep an eye on him,_ he told his dragon as he reached a hand to brush against Jinki’s, lightly clasping their fingers together.

_Agreed,_ Jonghyun responded without hesitation.

“Hey,” Jinki smiled as he turned his full attention to the rider.

“Are you sure about this?” Taekwoon asked once more, searching Jinki’s face as if he might be able to see something that he’d missed.

“Yes,” he nodded in confirmation, no hint of hesitancy present. “But I am glad you’re coming with me,” he added, suddenly almost shy in the admission.

Taekwoon let the shift flow over him and snort once. “Leaving you at the Aerie was one thing. Letting you go completely into enemy territory without me would never happen,” he responded honestly, firm conviction strengthening his voice. That much at least was true. Whatever was different about Jinki did not change that simple fact. Where he went, Taekwoon did too – at least in situations like this.

“Taekwoon. Jinki,” Taecyeon called, grabbing their attention as he waved them over where the other volunteers were already clustered together.

“Coming!” the pair responded in unison, exchanging quick smiles before they hurried close and settled in.

With the volunteers chosen, the next step was figuring out how to go about getting to where they wanted to be. A runner was called for and sent to retrieve a map for them to work with and once they had that, the discussion began in earnest. They had leagues of distance between them and Tiamat’s Aerie, likely hundreds of dragons to be aware of – wilds and rider or riderless dragons, and Tiamat herself to worry about. Getting to Bondsland likely wouldn’t be a problem, but getting to the Aerie probably would be, depending on the situation.

For over a mark, they discussed options. The plan of going in on foot wasn’t bad but it would take too long and the dragons would be too conspicuous. Not to mention getting up to the Aerie from the ground would be near impossible without being detected. Trying to find a way to hide in plain sight was also a challenge. They could hide under cloth or something of the like but unless they could match the color of the dragon’s hide, it would stick out too much. Flying straight in would also be folly; the dragons would be taken if Tiamat was anywhere nearby and the wilds would attack anyone with a rider, to be sure.

“But… what if we _did_ hide in plain sight?” Chaerin eventually asked, a pensive look on her face and her thumb brushing at her bottom lip. All eyes turned to her but no one spoke, waiting for the rest of the explanation. “Supplies,” she added with a quick motion of both her hands. “I mean, normally supplies are sent by cart or wagon, but now, especially since Tiamat doesn’t like humans, that probably won’t be the case. Dragons still have to eat though and hunting might be a little thin with their numbers,” she explained, feeling her way with care.

“So you think the dragons might be raiding supplies where they can find them,” Insoo followed up, finger pointing in her direction but eyes thoughtful.

“Yes,” she confirmed, glancing around the circle.

“That’s better than most of our ideas so far,” Jungkook agreed, nodding at Chaerin appreciatively. She gave a small smile and ducked her head in acknowledgement but waited to see how the others would react.

“And actually doable in a short amount of time,” Jinyoung added, finger drifting around the group as he obviously tried to figure out how they would best be disguised.

“What’s the rush?” Taeyeon asked. “Beyond the obvious,” she quickly added with a glance from Yunho who was still listening in.

“We don’t know how long Tiamat will remain where she is,” Jinki shrugged, brow furrowed as he looked down at the map they were using to think about their next step. “And it’s debatable how long she might let Kevin live if he doesn’t have control over her,” he cautioned with a calculating expression.

Insoo raised his hand to make a point. “I thought the idea was to get to Kevin with the idea that he _could_ control or at least influence Tiamat.”

“It is,” Jinki confirmed with a curt nod.

“But what if he can’t?” the wing leader asked, brow raised and focus directed to the Aerie Master.

Jinki blinked once and gave a minute shake of his head. “Whether he can or can’t doesn’t matter here. We don’t have much choice but to try,” he reminded the other man simply, as if his word was law.

Insoo looked at Jinki questionably and then glanced at his other wing mates. They seemed just as uncertain as he was. “That’s not what we volunteered for,” he reminded him.

Taekwoon didn’t like what was happening. There was some kind of power struggle beginning and tension was growing. It did not bode well for anyone. When Jinki opened his mouth to respond, Taekwoon grabbed his hand and squeezed firm to silence him. “If he can’t, then we will simply have to figure something else out. There must be _something_ we can do to counter Tiamat,” he reminded them.

_Mate feels strange,_ Jonghyun murmured into the silence.

_I know,_ Taekwoon agreed, not looking at his other half as he tried to bolster the volunteers by sheer determination alone.

“She might be a god but she was bound once before,” Chaerin reminded them cautiously. “She’s not invincible.”

Insoo wrinkled his nose at the comment but it pulled his attention away from Jinki and Taekwoon. “True as that may be, we are at quite a disadvantage this time,” he commented dryly, sharing a hesitant look with his wing mates.

“I agree,” she nodded, taking a small breath. “But we don’t have a lot of options right now.”

Collectively, the group took a weary breath and nodded in slow agreement. “This might be nothing but a fool’s errand but it is the best chance we have for the time being,” Wooyoung exhaled heavily, clearly not happy but accepting of what was to come.

“And since we have volunteered already, we might as well follow through,” Taeyeon shrugged, looking around the group.

“That’s hardly a good reason,” Jungkook scoffed with a hint of amusement.

Taeyeon shrugged and just looked around the circle. “I’m not happy about the possible alternatives either, but we’re together in this and as a wing, we’re not a force to be sneezed at,” she winked, forcing a smile that was bravado but also sincere.

“You’re not wrong there,” Insoo agreed with a slightly crooked smile.

Taekwoon let out the breath he had been holding and relaxed just a touch as he felt the energy shifting again. He stole another glance at Jinki but this time the other man looked subdued and slightly troubled. His hand was tense in Taekwoon’s and it was that more than anything that convinced the rider he was back to his true self. Taekwoon jiggled his hand just a bit to catch the other man’s attention. When Jinki looked over to see him, he offered a reassuring smile and a slight nod. His other half was slow to respond, worry dominant in his features. But then he took a breath and nodded back, the ghost of a wan smile tugging at his lips.

“So… we’re back to the sneaky supplies idea then?” Jinyoung asked as he directed the conversation back to where they’d originally left off.

“Yes,” Insoo nodded after a brief delay.

“So with that figured out, more or less,” Taecyeon interrupted at last, finally speaking from his vantage next to Commander Yunho. “When would you be trying to leave?”

The group looked at the Wing Leader and then at each other uncertainly before fixating on Jinki. He blinked and inhaled slightly in surprise, glancing at Taekwoon with widened eyes. The rider squeezed his hand again and nodded encouragement. After a heartbeat, Jinki offered, “We should probably leave as soon as possible. Just as long as we’re prepared.”

“We could probably leave on the morrow then,” Insoo responded thoughtfully, one arm across his chest and the other hand framing his chin.

“The dragons could carry barrels or sacks or we could try to find some in Talongrace,” Jinyoung suggested, waving one hand fluidly.

Wooyoung shook his head and corrected, “We should take our supplies with us. After what happened at Talongrace, there’s no telling what will be available.”

“Good point,” the other rider agreed with a quick nod.

“Okay. We’ll take it from here, Commander,” Insoo explained as he turned his focus to the two wing leaders nearby.

“I’ll let the other riders know,” he murmured with a dismissive wave.

“I’ll speak with Junjin about supplies you might need,” Taecyeon offered in turn, conjuring as reassuring a smile as he could.

“Thank you,” Insoo bowed, real gratitude obvious on his face. As the two headed out together, he turned his attention to Taekwoon and Jinki. “You should get ready for the morrow as well,” he suggested. “Especially you, Aerie Master,” he reminded, his gaze heavy.

“I-” Jinki started to speak before Taekwoon interrupted him.

“I’ll make sure we’re both prepared,” he promised firmly, taking a half-step forward as if he could somehow protect Jinki from… what, he wasn’t sure.

“Good. I’ll check on you later tonight,” he finished, nodding before he turned to face the other two pseudo members of the wing. “Same goes for you, Chaerin. Hyunseong.”

“Yes, sir,” they responded nearly together. “We’ll be ready,” Chaerin added as she drifted closer to her half-brother and placed a hand on his shoulder, nodding encouragingly while she took the opportunity to walk out with him.

“We’ll head out too,” Taekwoon murmured, pulling on Jinki’s hand to get him moving.

“Ah,” Insoo nodded, already turning his attention to the other four members.

Taekwoon wasn’t upset that they were being left out of active planning. Insoo knew what he was doing and the others had been in the wing longer than he had so he wasn’t really bothered by that. He was almost grateful more than anything. Being essentially assigned to take care of Jinki put him more at ease with his own role, though he was undeniably concerned all the same. For anyone not familiar with Jinki, his reactions in the meeting might have been… acceptable. For Taekwoon… they were clarification that something was amiss. It was even worse because his other half didn’t say anything or react as Taekwoon led them through the Aerie.

They got the customary looks of curiosity and wariness, but thankfully, more or less, they were left alone, though he could tell a friendly runner or two wouldn’t have minded stopping by. He caught Joy and Sanghyuk’s eyes and gave a subtle shake to ward them off this time. When they gave a questioning look, he nodded at Jinki just as subtly. Understanding dawned and they shrugged in mute acceptance. Sanghyuk smiled. Joy waved. And everyone continued on their original path, otherwise uninterrupted.

It was only when they’d reached their room - thankfully still whole save for noticeable cracks in the interior - and Taekwoon had started to check and prepare the supplies that they would need, when he spoke again. “Jinki?” he asked softly, fingers holding lightly to his riding belt with straps.

His other half jerked upright as if surprised by the sound and blinked in his direction. “Yeah?” he responded with a falsely bright smile.

“Are you alright?” Taekwoon asked, setting the gear down and standing up straight.

Jinki laughed in mild confusion as he briefly tried to wave the concern away. “Of course I’m alright,” he assured the other man, holding his gaze steadily for a moment. For that short time, Taekwoon wanted to believe. He really did. If Jinki didn’t say anything else, he might even be able to let it stick this time. But then his gut twisted and his hopes sank as Jinki looked down, the smile fading from his face. “I don’t know,” he admitted in little more than a whisper, starting to play with his fingers as he kept his head bowed.

Taekwoon swallowed and took a small breath, trying to prepare himself for anything and everything. “What’s wrong?” he asked as he closed the distance and took Jinki’s hands gently in his.

The Aerie Master didn’t look up immediately. He seemed fixated on their clasped hands. But eventually he started to speak. “I’m not sure,” he whispered, taking a small breath. “Other than the bruise on the back of my head,” he explained, freeing one hand to brush at the knot hiding under his hair, “I’m not hurt.” His fingers shifted to pause and rest against the side of his neck. “I don’t feel sick or in pain.” He shook his head and finally looked up to meet Taekwoon’s worried gaze. “I don’t know what it is but something’s not right.”

Part of Taekwoon felt vindicated in that he had been right in recognizing something was off, but it was small and fleeting. The rest of him tensed up into a giant ball of nerves and he had to struggle to keep it from being overtly obvious. Forcing a reassuring smile to his face, he lifted his free hand to cup Jinki’s cheek. “What do you mean?”

Jinki swallowed and took another breath. His brows furrowed and he licked his lips, teeth digging into the bottom one briefly before he tried to explain. “It’s more a feeling. And missing time,” he added with a heavy sigh. When Taekwoon frowned at the explanation, he wrinkled his nose and shook his head. “I kept trying to tell myself it was just stress. Or maybe shock. Or some sort of grieving response,” he mumbled, moving the hand on his neck to grab at his shirt lightly. “But I know it’s not. I keep losing small amounts of time. Like blinking for too long and then suddenly becoming aware again. Often at confusing times,” he admitted with a breathy exhale. “And there’s this _feeling_ …” he trailed off, hand tightening on his shirt. “I _need_ to go to Tiamat’s Aerie. I _need_ to get to Kevin, but I don’t know why.”

“Oh, my heart,” Taekwoon murmured, stepping close to fold the other man in a tight, protecting embrace.

“I don’t understand it, and it scares me,” Jinki admitted with a quiet sniff, arms hugging Taekwoon’s waist hard and his chin resting on one shoulder.

Taekwoon forced himself to stay calm as he cupped the back of Jinki’s head. “I know you already told me once, but do you remember anything else about Bahamut?” he asked carefully.

Jinki’s initial response was simply to turn his face against Taekwoon’s neck and curl closer, effectively hiding. “No,” he grumbled in frustration. “I remember seeing him. I remember looking into that giant silver eye. I remember _glimpsing_ the silver haired man in Trance. I know I started to say something to him but I don’t know what or what happened after that.” His fingers tightened on Taekwoon’s shirt, gripping hard. “I just know that when I woke up, he was gone and you were there.”

_Mate telling truth,_ Jonghyun promised without prompting. _Mate feels it._

 _I know,_ Taekwoon agreed without hesitation. He looked up at the ceiling of their room and silently wished he had a better understanding of what was going on. But he didn’t so the only thing he could do was his best for him and Jinki. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here for you,” he apologized again.

“It’s not your fault,” Jinki responded automatically, the words tired but sincere. “We all had to do what we had to do.”

“Still…” he trailed off, looking down at the man in his arms.

“Besides, if you had been here, you probably would have lost Jonghyun and Jongup,” he reminded him, the mere thought making Taekwoon wince.

“No I wouldn’t have,” he denied reflexively, even as he knew that was probably a lie. It was one that Jinki let him have with no argument though. “Listen. Whatever’s happening now and whatever comes next, I’ll be here,” Taekwoon promised, pressing his lips against Jinki’s hair. “Okay?” he asked, taking a breath as he waited for the response and fought the general helplessness that threatened to make his eyes misty.

Jinki simply nodded and quietly sniffed again.

Only when Jinki’s body relaxed did Taekwoon pull away. And when he did, he cupped his other half’s face in both hands and kissed him on the forehead tenderly. “It will be alright. Somehow,” he whispered with quiet, fierce determination.

“You promise?” Jinki asked into the resultant silence.

“I promise,” Taekwoon replied without pause, shifting his gaze to look into the other man’s eyes. Jinki gave a weak smile and leaned close to kiss the rider. He folded his arms around Taekwoon’s neck and shoulders and brought their bodies together. Taekwoon responded in kind, arms winding around Jinki’s waist and back. He was more than willing to give whatever Jinki needed right now. Nor was he against the gentle push to move them both towards the bed.

It took them a fair bit longer than was necessary to get ready for the morrow, but Taekwoon was firmly of the mind it was time well spent. After their lovemaking, he let Jinki nap while he finished preparing for both of them, and then sought out Insoo so he could report early, cutting off any possibility of the wing leader waking his other half. He swung by the temporary kitchen where Junjin was working with two of his helpers to make the supplies for their upcoming journey.

With his permission, Taekwoon snagged a hunk of bread, slathered it with the carefully saved drippings from the last bit of meat the cook had prepared, and then returned to his room. He woke Jinki up so they could share it together and then convinced them both to head to the personal washroom to clean up. The well water was cold but it was better than nothing. Their hot pools had been partially destroyed and it was taking time to fix and refill the pools accordingly.

_You two ready for tomorrow?_ he asked his dragon as they were finishing up.

_Of course,_ was the easy reply.

_Good._ He brushed at Jinki’s still damp hair and smiled reassuringly. “I let Insoo know we’re ready. Our gear is good and all we have to do is put it on in the morning,” he explained.

“Thanks,” Jinki smiled, grabbing Taekwoon’s hand and taking a breath. His grip was slightly tighter than usual, but his expression was at least genuine.

“Let’s just take it one day at a time,” he urged, leaning to kiss the side of Jinki’s head firmly and offering another smile.

“Good plan,” his other half agreed with a nod.

“And in the meantime, sleep,” he laughed once. When Jinki didn’t say anything about food first, he knew neither of them was hungry.

“Only sleep?” he teased playfully, all coyness but no actual sincerity this time.

“Yes, only sleep,” Taekwoon laughed, slinging his arm around Jinki’s waist and pulling him close as they walked back to their room. It was a little early so not many people had returned to their rooms just yet, but that was fine by them. There’d be plenty of looks on the morrow, and plenty of reasons to start worrying about what might happen as well. But for now, there was tonight, the peace of sleep, and the comfort of shared company.

He was glad that Jinki was able to fall asleep quickly. It was just annoying that he himself wasn’t. Jinki’s confirmation of something being off hadn’t reassured him at all. In fact, it was just one more thing to add to an already troubling pile. But he hadn’t been lying when he promised him it would work out. He meant it. Granted, he didn’t know how he was going to make it happen, but somehow, it _would_ work out.

Somehow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I didn't cover as much ground as intended, but in the next update, we'll be doing a fair bit of moving. Now that they have a plan, it's a matter of getting there and putting it into action! We shall see how it goes. XD


	58. Luck or Something More...?

While they would have preferred to leave with little fanfare, the Aerie turned out to see the volunteers off the following cloudy morning. The air was tense with a mixture of emotions, some reading the change in weather as a bad omen and others just accepting of the shift towards warmer days. No one knew how their mission was going to end, which made everyone antsier than usual, but they carried all the hopes of everyone present. If they failed, nothing good would come of it, for anyone. But if they succeeded…

“Bring our dragons home,” Yunho commanded Insoo, the statement just as much a desperate plea.

“We will,” Insoo responded, clasping forearms with the Commander. It might be nothing more than a false promise, but it gave all of them something to hold onto. To hope for…

As the dragons finished gathering the fake supplies and the actual ones, the humans and riders mingled, exchanging quiet words or embraces. The runners especially bothered Jinki and Taekwoon with their hopeful worry, Joy and Sanghyuk and Jimin and several others trying to put on brave faces instead of tears. They were at least partially successful.

The Masters hovered, offering encouragement and what advice they could. Sandara reminded them of good locations they might be able to stop at for breaks. Chunji and Daehyun offered tidbits of wisdom if they happened across humans they might be able to trade or work with. Sunny tried to remind them of the nature of the gods – chaos, their current foe, versus order – in a half-hearted attempt to support what they were doing. Jolin and Kibum attempted to come up with an anecdotal event in history to give them ideas, or at least support, but as this was something that hadn’t really happened before, they mostly started historical stories before giving up and simply wishing them luck. Really… that was all they had. It was all the residents could offer as well.

When the gathering could have become overwhelming, Taecyeon announced, “The dragons are ready for you now.”

All the riders paused as the rest of the gathered community stilled and slowly pulled back. “We’ll be heading out shortly then,” Insoo bowed, a somber expression of acknowledgement. When he stood up, he turned to his wing mates and called out, “Riders! Check your gear!”

“Yes, sir!” they chanted in unison, though Jinki was unsurprisingly quiet.

“Oops,” he whispered when silence fell again and Taekwoon placed his hand on Jinki’s back reassuringly.

“I’ll make sure Jongup’s gear is secure. All you have to do is stay on,” he smiled with a nod, hoping it would be enough.

“Okay. I can do that,” he exhaled, practically talking to himself.

Taekwoon gave one last caress of Jinki’s head and turned his attention to his dragons. Each one had a personal pack of supplies secured to the harness just behind where the rider would sit. The larger ones were also going to be hauling the fake supplies materials. To keep them from getting too tired in the first leg of the journey, they would be attached to the harness so they could hang below the dragon instead of trying to carry them in their claws. For now, their heaviest dragons were playing mule with Fei, Jonghyun, JB, and Gunwoo in particular. If they got tired, they could always switch it up, but for now, the dragons seemed confident they would be fine. At least until they got to Talongrace anyway.

As it was, it should only take them two days to reach the decimated city. It would take another day to get across the water and that would be a hard flight, like usual. If they could, their plan was to find a resting spot on the coast and then resume their trek. Based on previous scouting forays, if they didn’t run into trouble, they should be able to reach Tiamat’s Aerie within four days.

Given that timeline… one sevenday. It would only be a sevenday, if everything went in their favor, that they would learn if their plan could succeed or if it would fail entirely. With a sigh, Taekwoon realized that felt both too long and yet hardly long enough. The thought made him strangely numb as he couldn’t decide yet how he should feel about it. Only, he was afraid. He took a careful look at Jinki out of the corner of his eye and his chest ached. With what he’d seen and felt and what Jinki had told him, it was too much of a coincidence that Bahamut had disappeared around his other half. He wanted to say it was impossible but…

_A god can make many things possible,_ his dragon grumbled in discontent, equally unhappy about the thought.

_I know,_ Taekwoon admitted in quiet acceptance. He’d felt enough of the possibilities of change when Tiamat first woke and when Bahamut had been freed, there’d also been an effect, though it was less obvious. _I could be hopeful that maybe Bahamut is connected to Jinki and that it could be a good thing in seeking out Tiamat but… for some reason, I’m not,_ he added uncertainly. He knew he should take any possible positive they could get, but given how Tiamat had reacted to being set free and her mindset about humans, it wasn’t exactly a stretch to think that Bahamut wouldn’t feel particularly benevolent towards them either.

_Not either,_ Jonghyun echoed, both adding to Taekwoon’s discomfit but also reassuring in the solidarity. _Mate unsure. Wants to hope but knows could be bad._

 _Yeah,_ Taekwoon agreed with a slow nod and a heavy exhale as he tightened the last strap on Jonghyun’s harness. He looked over and saw that Insoo was keeping an eye on them so he motioned he was ready and the wing leader nodded.

“Riders! Mount up!” Insoo called out, moving immediately himself without pausing to see if they would follow his command. Mutely, each rider shifted to get settled in, faces masks of concentration and determination.

Taekwoon made sure to help Jinki secure himself, testing the clasps and the fit with practiced ease. Only when he was satisfied and Jinki looked at least as ready as he was going to did he hurry back to Jonghyun and urge him into the sky to keep up. It was harder to secure his own straps while riding a moving dragon, but he’d had practice enough to make it doable.

As they pulled away from the Aerie, dragons heading north, a cheering cry followed them. The residents of the Aerie all waved, seeing them off as bravely as they could. No one knew if they’d see each other again, but all they could do was hope. With a glance at Jinki, Taekwoon clung to his hope as well.

The flight to Talongrace was almost too quiet, with a light but steady rain starting in the later part of the day. It wasn’t really windy or stormy enough to stop so they continued to fly through the dreary weather. They didn’t see any wild dragons nearby and signs of people were also few and far between. There were a couple small homesteads and villages along the way to the coastal city but half of them were empty and the other half fled in fear as soon as they saw dragons above. Hunting for food was thankfully easy so the dragons could stay well fed. It was important mostly for getting ready to fly over the waters between the islands. The biggest problem was actually for Jinki. Out of all of them, he was not used to riding a dragon for long periods of time.

“Bless Mimi for packing that numbing salve in my pack,” he praised when they stopped on the first day.

“It was good thinking on his part,” Taekwoon agreed, remembering the early days when he’d needed it himself. Right now, he knew his other half was mostly just stiff and a little sore. It would get considerably worse before it got better… “Try to make it last though,” he cautioned as he watched Jinki start to put some on.

Jinki paused and grimaced. “You’re probably right,” he admitted, sealing the small clay jar and wrapping it in cloth again. And Taekwoon was. The weather turned even worse the next day and it made everyone have to work that much harder to get to their destination. Their dragons stayed low to avoid the worst of the winds but the water and wind made for cold, exhausting conditions for everyone.

While they all made it to their destination in an acceptable amount of time, everyone was more tired than usual and Jinki was in a considerable amount of pain. And though they made it to the city without additional trouble, it was not exactly a welcoming bastion of support. Even in the gloom, Talongrace was very much reduced from the last time they’d seen it so they opted to settle outside the city. Though uncomfortable due to the weather, it felt safer for everyone that they do so. It was almost like they could feel the conflicted sentiments from the recovering survivors. Fear, resentment, confused gratification, and all the uncertainty anyone could expect from a city that was trying to come back after being nearly destroyed by dragons. Yes, they felt far better staying away from that hotbed of mixed emotions.

Setting up camp was a challenge, especially erecting shelters for everyone, but they managed well enough. While Taekwoon helped Jinki take care of his problem in one of the small tents, Insoo worked with the others in a larger one to get ready to cross the waters. Jonghyun listened in and relayed the discussion to his rider so both could follow along to what was happening.

_If weather bad on morrow, we wait,_ he explained, making Taekwoon nod in understanding.

_Good decision,_ he commented, carefully administering the ointment to Jinki’s skin. He could already seen chafing and some bruising and he felt for him. The little stifled sounds of pain didn’t help either. “Any better?” he asked when he was almost through.

“Mm hmm,” Jinki nodded pitifully, resting his chin on his crossed arms as he stayed on his stomach.

“We’re all going to turn in early tonight and if the weather is good, we’ll head out at first light,” he relayed, moving to rest his hand on Jinki’s lower back.

“If it’s not?” his other half asked softly with his face mostly turned away.

Taekwoon shivered as he thought he recognized the shift. “We stay until it gets safe enough to go,” he belatedly admitted, trying to act normal. “The dragons can swim quite well but if they flounder too soon and we can’t make landfall, the risk is too high that they’d drown.”

“Mm.” It was a confirmation sound that hardly seemed enough.

Carefully, Taekwoon leaned to the side, keeping his eyes on Jinki’s. They were using lamplight to see by and it tinged everything with an orange hue. Jinki’s eyes were always shiny in the light, like his, yet for just a heartbeat, he thought he saw a silver sheen instead. But then his other half looked at him and Taekwoon froze, literally holding his breath. A sudden pang of _danger_ thrummed through his body as it felt like his dragon half had reacted by mantling his wings. In the blink of an eye, the rider found himself on a knife’s edge of indecision: did he respond to his dragon or did he try to pretend that he hadn’t noticed something? Which was better? Which was less dangerous for Jinki? For everyone?

And because he didn’t know, couldn’t know how acknowledgement would go, he opted for ignorance and prayed it would be enough. “You okay?” he asked, mentally forcing his inner dragon down as he reminded himself to breathe and plastered a concerned smile on his face.

Jinki’s eyes remained open for a heartbeat longer and then his expression softened as he blinked quickly, humming, “Huh? I think I missed your question.”

It was like a punch to the gut for Taekwoon and though his heart twisted in his chest, he forced a small laugh and pretended it was nothing. “I said are you okay?” he repeated, reaching out to pet Jinki’s hair with a surprisingly steady hand.

_Rider…_ Jonghyun murmured, sad and troubled.

_Not now, Jong,_ he responded quickly, keeping his attention on Jinki. He felt his dragon’s nod and respectful disappearance before he heard his other half speak.

“Yeah. Just tired,” he chuckled with a shake of his head. “Not used to this riding and weather,” he admitted sincerely, reaching out a hand to rest it on Taekwoon’s nearest knee.

Taekwoon placed his free hand atop Jinki’s and nodded knowingly. “It’s probably best if you just rest tonight. We’ll keep you safe while you sleep,” he promised, running his other hand down to rest between Jinki’s shoulder blades.

“Now you’re making me feel bad,” he snorted, though his eyelids drooped tiredly as he took another breath.

“It’s alright, my heart,” Taekwoon soothed, squeezing the other man’s hand gently. “Just rest. I’ll go see about getting you some food, okay?” he encouraged, reaching over to snag the loose blanket nearby so he could pull it over his other half.

“You sure?” he asked guiltily in response.

“Certain,” the rider grinned, bringing Jinki’s hand to his lips before setting it on the ground with tender care. “If you’re sleeping when I get back, I’ll wake you up enough to eat.”

“Mm,” Jinki hummed with a content smile on his face, eyes already mostly closed.

Taekwoon watched for a couple more heartbeats and then took a breath as he stepped out into the cool rain. The temperature had dropped but it wasn’t exactly cold. It was dark though, so he let his dragon surface enough to see better before he tried stepping through the wet gloom. He paused when his dragon spoke to him.

_You okay?_

The rain continued to fall, creating rivers on his skin as he stood there. _No. I’m not,_ he finally admitted before making his way to Insoo’s tent. It was larger than most since it could be used in situations like this, though the quarters would still be cramped for a full wing meeting. Taekwoon glanced around and saw two more tents nearby, one with lights on and the other dark. He figured the dark one was for the watch members and the other was likely Chaerin and Taeyeon if the shadows within were any indication.

Taking a breath, he stepped to the opening of Insoo’s tent and carefully pulled the flap back as he heard voices inside. “Soo?” he questioned.

“Enter,” the wing leader responded quickly, looking up with Jinyoung and Wooyoung mirroring him. Taekwoon stepped just inside but stayed at the entrance since he was soaking wet. He shrugged and squatted down, nodding at his wing mates in quick acknowledgement.

“How’s Jinki?” Jinyoung asked with a sympathetic smile.

“Sleeping,” Taekwoon answered, the small smile that tugged at his lips real. _I need you to talk to Gunwoo so he can speak to Insoo,_ he thought while playing along to the general conversation. “I take it Jungkook got first watch?”

_Okay,_ his dragon agreed quietly, the tone subdued.

“Yeah,” Insoo nodded. “He’s bunking down with Hyunseong tonight.”

_Something’s different about Jinki._ He waited for the message to be delivered before he responded to Insoo’s comment. “Maybe Jungkook can get him to open up a bit.”

“It just takes time,” Wooyoung chimed in with a shake of his head.

“Agreed,” Insoo echoed, looking at Taekwoon this time. His expression was deceptively light though when he added, “I think this is the first time Taeyeon actually gets to bunk down with another woman.”

_Wants to know how so,_ Jonghyun murmured.

“She’s never had a problem sharing the same space as us before,” Wooyoung shrugged.

_Maybe more of a connection to Bahamut than we first thought._

“You know it’s for Chaerin’s sake. She probably hasn’t spent as much time in the company of only men,” Jinyoung explained matter of factly, shaking his finger at his companion.

They were distracted enough that neither noticed Insoo flinch as he got the message. It didn’t last long before he was speaking as normal again. “It’ll probably be good for both of them. They’ve got watch duty together too. What about you, Taekwoon? With Jinki out, are you taking your shift alone?”

_Dangerous?_ his dragon asked unhappily.

_Maybe,_ was the automatic response. “Yeah. I can take care of it by myself,” he flashed a confident grin that came off as a little too draconic, making Wooyoung wince and Jinyoung cringe.

“I will never get used to that,” the latter admitted with a quick shudder.

“Sorry,” Taekwoon apologized, ducking his head and smoothing his features out quickly. “I don’t always mean for it to happen.”

_Plan?_

“Long as you don’t come after us, it’ll be alright,” Wooyoung assured him belatedly. “It’s just creepy,” he couldn’t help but add with an uncomfortable shrug.

“As Jonghyun explained it, my dragon sees you as pack. Given that, I shouldn’t be a danger to any of you,” he explained with solemn sincerity. _He wants to go to Tiamat’s Aerie without knowing why so just keep taking him there and pretend everything’s normal. I’ll keep an eye on him._

“Huh. I’ll take your word for it,” Jinyoung laughed once, head tilting to the side in acceptance.

_Wants you to let him know if anything changes,_ the copper murmured. _Also glad you let him know._ The last part sounded like Jonghyun thought he shouldn’t have. Honestly, Taekwoon wasn’t sure either, but if anyone needed the information, it was the Wing Leader. He’d know best what to do with it, if anything.

_Thanks, Jong,_ he said instead, turning away from the inner conversation to focus on the outer one again. “If not mine, then my dragon’s,” Taekwoon responded simply.

“Fair enough,” Jinyoung grinned, obviously focusing on JB briefly.

“Yeah well,” Taekwoon shrugged, wiping his hands on his wet pants. “I’m gonna head back out. Gotta get a bite of food first and see if Jinki’ll eat before it gets too late.”

“Don’t get too wet,” Jinyoung called after him.

“Again,” Wooyoung added with a snort.

Taekwoon just tilted his head to the side and looked at Insoo. “I’ve got third watch, right?”

“Yes,” the wing leader nodded in confirmation.

“Thanks,” With that, he ducked back out into the rain as quickly as possible. He could feel Jonghyun’s, and perhaps Jongup’s too, uncertain reproach as he took a couple steps and paused. _I didn’t want to, you know. But this affects all of us._

 _Should trust mate,_ was the almost automatic response. The words were said firmly enough but Taekwoon could tell he wasn’t entirely certain himself. It felt more like he was saying them for the sake of saying them. Not that he actually believed in them.

_I do trust him. It’s the other part I don’t,_ he reminded his dragon, trying to ignore the sick worried sensation roiling in his gut. Once more, he was not hungry because of his thoughts, but he knew he needed to eat. They both did. Especially if they were going to head anywhere tomorrow. With a quiet groan, he slogged through the wet and ducked under the waterproofed leather cover for the foodstuffs. He dug through the nearest pack, snagged a couple travel rolls – they had a surplus of them apparently – and hurried back to their shared tent to try and keep them as dry as possible.

Taekwoon roused Jinki enough to eat one together. He was grateful his other half seemed normal and unaffected during that time. It was obvious he was still tired though, so he took the opportunity to lie down with him, close enough to hold hands but nothing more. Since he’d be heading out in the rain again soon, it didn’t make sense to strip and he didn’t want to soak Jinki with his wet clothes either. Plus, he could stay by the opening where it would be easier for the second watch to wake him without bothering his other half.

Taeyeon woke him for his shift. He settled in next to Jonghyun without speaking as the rain steadily eased up. At this rate, he was pretty sure it would clear up before too long, and it felt strangely coincidental. _Do you think he has anything to do with the rain stopping or is it natural?_ he eventually asked as it continued to lessen.

Jonghyun was quiet for a long moment, but then he murmured, _Maybe._ It was not a happy answer and he gave it grudgingly, but his rider deserved a response at least.

_Just wanted to make sure,_ Taekwoon sighed, patting the copper hide with a reluctant hand.

His shift ended with no trouble and he woke Insoo up for the last leg. Morning came too quickly after that, but it was bright and warm when it did. Jinki was happy enough for the sunshine, and it looked like the rest had done him well. His smile warmed Taekwoon but he couldn’t shake the shadow that hovered over them.

“Looks like we’re making the crossing today,” Insoo announced as he shielded his eyes from the sun and looked across the mostly calm waters. “Pack it up!” he called, turning to take his tent down.

Every rider moved at once, scrambling to follow suit. Taekwoon was no different and he waved Jinki off to make sure their packs were good as he handled the tent himself. As they secured everything, they grabbed a meat roll for the morning meal and ate it hurriedly as Insoo spoke again in front of them.

“Wooyoung. Taeyeon. You know the drill,” he nodded at the other two riders and they moved to get settled in. “Everyone else, this might be your first crossing. We start high on this side and will end lower on the Bondsland side. The winds can be unpredictable over the waters and we’ll be easy targets for leagues. Keep your eyes sharp and be ready to move at a moment’s notice. If anyone gets too tired, let me know. Understood?!”

“Yes, sir!” they all responded in unison. This time, Jinki was among them.

Feeling jittery and excited, Taekwoon watched Jinki from afar and waited to make sure he was settled in. When his other half nodded in confirmation, Jongup took off and then Taekwoon followed on Jonghyun. Normally, the blue would trail the copper, but because Jinki was so inexperienced, Taekwoon followed behind to better watch him. He played secondary rear watch with Taeyeon in her customary position. Fei was currently flying where Jonghyun usually did and Kwangmin flew in tandem with V. For now, it was safe enough to fly together. When they reached Bondsland though, they’d have to separate and ride in their improvised supplies disguises. No one was looking forward to that.

Everyone was glad it wasn’t raining anymore but the cloudless sky gave them little reprieve from the sun and heat was just as bad as the wet in some ways. Insoo slowed their pace slightly to give the dragons a break, using long glides to preserve their energy as best he could. Somewhere around the halfway mark, per Gunwoo’s explanation, Taekwoon noticed Insoo look back at Jinki with quiet speculation.

_Trouble?_ he asked Jonghyun with the intent that he pass the message to Gunwoo.

_None. That’s the problem. Too easy so far,_ the copper explained, obviously wondering why that would be a bad thing.

Taekwoon’s hands tightened on his straps and he glanced at Jinki in front of him. It was impossible to see his face from here. Nor did he feel particularly different, which could have been distance or something else. _Tell Jongup to keep an eye on him. Let me know if he feels anything._

 _Says normal now,_ the copper shrugged, at a loss. So was Taekwoon.

While the other riders seemed glad for the peace of the ride, it wore on Taekwoon. And Insoo, though he did notice Taeyeon and Wooyoung both exchanging surprised looks once or twice. It would make sense they noticed the difference too, having made the crossing before.

When Bondsland appeared on the horizon, Taekwoon was filled with a sense of relief paired with dread. They were almost here already. By the position of the sun, he knew they were probably earlier than anticipated. Insoo led them lower, flying close to the water as they approached the land, but once more, the skies were suspiciously clear. The flight across could have been attributed to uncharacteristically good luck. Enemy free skies was slightly suspicious, however. It set all the riders on edge and everyone kept a close watch when they landed so the tired dragons could catch their breath.

They edged their way into the nearest overgrowth, a small forest on a cliff near the water. While the dragons rested, Insoo and Wooyoung took a quick scouting run to get a lay of the land. Everyone else started unpacking the disguise materials and undoing the harnesses on the dragons. There was a nervousness among them now. An uncertainty of what to expect. Fear of the unknown. They were still intent upon doing what they came to do, but their mission had suddenly become all too real.

Taekwoon looked over the materials they’d be hiding in and grimaced. While Taeyeon and Chaerin would be hiding in solid barrels, like the kind salted fish were transported and kept in, everyone else would be hidden in essentially large sacks like were used to haul potatoes. They’d stay in their watch pairs while one of the dragons would fly ahead to scout the way and make sure the path was clear.

“Looks quiet,” Insoo told them when he returned, his face pensive. “We’ll stay here for the rest of the day though. The dragons need it and I’d like to see if anyone at all is going to show up at some point. It’s strange we haven’t seen a wild or a scout,” he admitted with a slight frown.

“Maybe the heavens are just cutting us a break,” Jungkook shrugged, trying to be optimistic but his tone didn’t quite convey the same feeling.

“We can only hope,” Taeyeon sighed, wearing the same expression as Insoo.

No one slept well that night. Nothing bothered them, but all were ill at ease. Maybe it was the unfamiliar sounds of the continent. Maybe it was the pressing concern of what they would soon be up against. Maybe it was overactive imaginations getting the better of their training. Regardless, they were skittish when they got into the disguises and waved farewells for the time being. The next time they would meet together would be at Tiamat’s Aerie or not at all.

“Heavens watch over you all,” Insoo called as he raised his fist into the air and nodded at them reassuringly.

_He says be careful,_ Jonghyun murmured, looking at Gunwoo.

_Him too,_ Taekwoon responded in kind, meeting Insoo’s eyes with a small nod.

_Ready?_ the copper asked after a pause, his gaze turning to trail after Jongup in the sky.

_Whenever you are,_ the rider responded, slinging an arm around Jinki’s waist to pull him close and give him warning they were about to take off.

Taekwoon ducked inside the disguise and cringed preemptively. _We go!_ his dragon called, carefully grabbing the sack in his claws before launching into the air. Jinki gasped and held tighter to Taekwoon while he focused on holding them as steady as possible when their disguise was lowered, swaying uncomfortably in the wind.

It was going to be a long ride.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I didn't cover as much ground as intended again... but the next update will get a bit bumpy so get ready to hold on! In the meantime, I do hope you're enjoying the story and that you're looking forward to what's coming, whatever that may be. Thank you for sticking around and happy reading!


	59. Intentions Revealed

Within the first mark of riding in the supply sack, both Taekwoon and Jinki were in agreement that it was hot and uncomfortable. The plan was sound in theory but in practice, it was far more challenging to tolerate.

_Let’s set down for now,_ Taekwoon urged, already thinking about what they could do instead.

_Okay,_ the copper agreed, changing altitude with a quick shift in the air. _Mate says way is clear._

Taekwoon nodded in understanding and waited, bracing Jinki against his body like before just in case they had a rough landing. He should have known better. His dragon was far more careful with them and set them on the ground gently before stepping to the side so they could crawl out as desired.

“We will never last,” Jinki laughed with sweat beading his forehead already and face slightly flushed. Taekwoon wasn’t much better off.

“It probably would have been a good idea to try this before jumping all in,” the rider snorted with a shake of his head. _“Any word from the others?”_ he asked, glancing at his dragon before looking at Jinki again.

_Only Fei. Others too far. Rider has lid on barrel. Okay,_ he explained with an inherent shrug in the statement.

Taekwoon sighed and rolled his eyes. “Barrel riders are okay. I imagine the sack riders are in the same position as us,” he grumbled, crossing his arms as he looked at Jinki.

“Okay,” his other half nodded, fingers resting on his chin in thought. “We can’t really hang out of the sack. The straps would probably hurt too much over time. Can you carry us?” he asked suddenly, turning his head to Jonghyun.

The copper tilted his head and blinked, thinking about the question. _Yes. Probably. But could be dangerous if seen._

“But that’s what Jongup is for,” Taekwoon reminded his dragon with a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “And if any dragon does show up, it shouldn’t be too hard for us to slide back inside. Especially if we don’t actually leave it. The opening is pretty wide,” he added, squatting to pick at the fabric and stretch it out as far as he could. They had made the straps extra long so the dragon could carry them with ease but that also meant there was no need to keep the sack bunched up and it could be fully extended with no trouble.

“I say we try. If it doesn’t work, we can think of something else, but what else are we going to do?” Jinki shrugged, glancing at the sack with a frustrated look.

“Fair enough,” Taekwoon agreed after a brief pause. “Let’s try this one more time,” he sighed, crawling into the sack halfway and looking expectantly up at Jinki. “It’ll be easier for him to pick us up if we’re already lying down,” he explained with another shrug.

“Ah,” Jinki hummed, nodding once as he quickly moved to mirror Taekwoon’s example. He waited tensely while Jonghyun shuffled closer before wrapping his front claws around them both with infinite care. Though Taekwoon was relatively used to being carried – or more accurately caught – in a dragon’s claws, Jinki was not, and he grabbed hard to the finger joints that curled around him. He also made a small surprised, and maybe a little scared, sound when the copper took off again, hauling them into the air with powerful wing beats.

The new plan was more awkward for Jonghyun but considerably more comfortable for the humans he was carrying. Able to breathe freely and cool from the constant breeze, Taekwoon and Jinki were content. Taekwoon did have a little more trouble with his still healing wound when being carried until he and Jinki switched sides. Beyond that though, it didn’t hurt that they were two extra pairs of eyes on the lookout too, just in case. Not that they were needed. Their first day was almost suspiciously good. The weather stayed clear and there wasn’t a dragon in sight anywhere. Even Jongup didn’t see any, though Jonghyun relayed that Fei had heard Junho had spotted a couple further out.

Jinki slept quite soundly the first night and Taekwoon spent a fair bit of his time awake, keeping an eye on things. Through the dragons, he heard that V had made contact with a wild and though he’d been able to convince it he was traveling to Tiamat’s Aerie to join, it meant that Kwangmin, who was carrying the riders, was better off taking a detour to avoid the trouble. For now anyway. They were falling behind a bit as a result.

On the second and third day, travel was much the same. Clear skies and no dragons for Jonghyun and Jongup. That was not the case for the others though. They were starting to run into more wilds in particular – or maybe former bound dragons from Tiamat’s Aerie – and had already had to bluff and lie their way through. It didn’t help when the sacks smelled of humans either…

Though Taekwoon was glad they hadn’t had trouble yet, it also worried him. He started spending more time watching Jinki instead of their surroundings and he was almost certain his other half – or something… someone having to do with his other half – was responsible for it.

_Feel it too,_ Jonghyun admitted quietly as he caught a glimmer of Taekwoon’s concern.

_I figured,_ the rider admitted with a small frown, gaze lingering on Jinki’s too still face again. They hadn’t been sharing easy conversations like usual. When he tried, more often than not, he got weird clipped answers and very little focus. It was more like Jinki spent the day existing in a half aware daze – there but not. Except at night; that was his time. But by then, Jinki was unusually tired and more than ready to fall asleep after they ate. It could have been the effects of travel but Taekwoon had a different thought on the matter. _It’s him, isn’t it?_ he asked after they’d settled down for sleep on the third night of their travels.

Jonghyun didn’t have to ask for clarification. There was only one person he could be talking about after all. _Probably,_ was the reluctant and unhappy reply.

It was the only thing that made sense and yet it was also the one thing Taekwoon didn’t want to believe. That somehow Bahamut, the dragon god himself, was using or controlling or manipulating Jinki. It prompted a plethora of questions with no good answers. Why didn’t he just fly to Tiamat’s Aerie himself? Why the subterfuge? Why Jinki? And the list went on but that one was relatively easy to guess. Jinki had simply been available when no one else was…

What was more, it would certainly explain their too good luck when everyone else had run into some kind of trouble or delay. From the strangely favorable weather to the sheer absence of interference, Taekwoon couldn’t deny it at least hinted at a greater intervention from somewhere. It would also explain the lack of focus on Jinki’s part. The man could plan and organize and pay attention to several things at once in the Aerie so it was strange that he wasn’t really able to follow even simple conversations with Taekwoon right now.

Looking down at Jinki’s sleeping face, his head pillowed on Taekwoon’s thighs, the rider trailed his fingers against the peaceful cheek and sighed. “What will happen when we _do_ get to the Aerie?” he wondered quietly, afraid of the possibilities.

_Don’t know,_ his dragon sighed, nudging his head against Taekwoon’s arm with gentle pressure. _Must be ready._

 _I wish I knew what I should be ready for,_ he admitted in a small voice. Other dragons and riders he understood. He could anticipate what they would do or what might need to be done. Dragon gods were beyond him. _Any word from the others?_ he asked, glancing to the sky out of habit. They’d found a patch of trees to settle in, hiding them from view from above, but it confined Jonghyun a little too well.

The copper turned his attention outward and then internally grimaced. _Mate ahead but others too far out. Can feel but can’t reach._

 _Shards. This definitely puts us in a bad spot,_ the rider grimaced as he placed a hand on Jinki’s shoulder, gripping loosely. _Do you think it’s by design?_ he wondered, glancing down at the sleeper in front of him.

_Maybe,_ was Jonghyun’s soft answer.

_Do you think he meant for the others to fall behind?_ Now he turned to look at his dragon, eyes darkly shiny in the shadows.

_Maybe,_ was the following, frustrating response.

Taekwoon stifled a groan and took a breath. _I’m guessing your answer would be maybe if I asked if he intended for us to reach the Aerie first and alone…_

When he flailed with his free hand because his dragon sent a positive response, Jonghyun commented, _Bahamut is father of all dragons. Not my father. Don’t know him. Don’t know what he will do. Only know many things possible._

 _Ugh, I know,_ Taekwoon slouched, shaking his head. _I’m just… frustrated. And scared. And angry. And… ugh!_ His hand tightened on Jinki’s shoulder again and his other half stirred slightly, making him freeze. “Oops,” he whispered, staring down at the peaceful face. He half wished the eyes would open, just so he could meet Jinki’s gaze, but he was equally afraid the other would be there instead. Cold eyes meant danger and uncertainty and none of the reassurance he was hoping for.

_Should try to sleep,_ Jonghyun pressed with another gentle nudge of his nose. _Worry fix nothing,_ he reasoned with very draconic logic.

_But it’s so much fun,_ Taekwoon scoffed with all the sarcasm he could muster. He felt his dragon’s chuckle both through their bond and in his body and it made him laugh once too. _I will try,_ he agreed, taking a deep breath and leaning back against the copper’s side. And for all his worries, he did sleep, though it did not mean the dawn brought peace.

Both humans were nervous as they took to the skies again. For at least a little while Jinki was himself and Taekwoon stared unabashedly, making his other half blush under the direct attention. He didn’t complain though and simply reached a hand out to Taekwoon, waiting for the rider to accept the gesture. Taekwoon did with quiet joy, and he clung to the other man’s hand as long as he let him.

It was another twist of the knife when Jinki eventually pulled away. Taekwoon didn’t try to fight it either. He was pretty sure Bahamut knew he was aware the dragon was present, but as he hadn’t chosen to get in the way, the dragon god ignored him for the most part. More than anything, they resumed their one dazed and one alert partnership as Jonghyun continued to fly them towards their goal – one they could finally see more clearly rising in the distance.

Of course, just because a dragon god might have been influencing most of the situation, it didn’t mean unexpected happenings _couldn’t_ occur. They were all surprised when Jongup ran into a blessedly familiar face while running scout for them. “Gain?” Taekwoon asked aloud as Jonghyun relayed the announcement, making Jinki look at him too.

“Really?” he asked with a strangely hopeful note in his voice.

“Jonghyun says so,” the rider added, peering ahead and squinting as if that would somehow make the gold dragon appear. It didn’t take long for their parties to close the distance and Taekwoon could feel Jonghyun’s happiness at being back in Jongup’s presence. The feeling was mutual though if the secondary emotion he was feeling and Jinki’s smile were any indication. Of course he was glad to see Jongup too, but personally, he was surprised to the see the familiar gold so far from home.

_She thought it felt like us,_ Jonghyun explained as they settled carefully amidst the sparsely forested terrain. It wasn’t the ideal place to land but explanations were necessary and given their recent ‘luck,’ Taekwoon felt it was a reasonable risk. _Wants to know what we’re doing here._

If dragons could make simultaneously worried and suspicious faces, Gain would be wearing one right now. He was sure of it. “We’re trying to get to the Aerie to find Kevin. Do you know if he’s there?” Taekwoon answered and asked after a brief moment of hesitation.

The gold dragon’s head jerked back in surprise and her wings fluttered once. Gold eyes looked between the four intently, lingering longer than necessary on Jinki before settling on Taekwoon again. Though she spoke through Jonghyun, her words were for his rider. _Why? What’s going on?_

Focusing on her, he didn’t miss the way her eyes darted to Jinki once before settling on the rider again. Taekwoon stifled a wince and tried to keep his features as neutral as he could. _We’re trying to find a way to stop Tiamat and we think Kevin may be able to help us. But..._ he trailed off, letting his suspicion linger on his tongue. He could feel Jonghyun’s worry instead of reproach this time. _Bahamut may be hiding in Jinki and I’m afraid of what that could mean._

To her credit, Gain did not give any outer indication that she’d heard him about the second comment. _Traveling like that?_ was her immediate – and probably dry - response, in fact, but Taekwoon could feel Jonghyun’s tension and figured she may have been speaking to the copper directly. The gold looked back from the way she’d come and her tail twitched in obvious thought. Taekwoon wasn’t expecting her next comment though. _We’ve come this far. If the gods are to meet, what will be will be._ Her shoulders rose and fell as she took a deep breath and then turned to focus on the group again.

Taekwoon spoke aloud for Jinki’s benefit this time. “Gain says that Hero and some of the other dragons from home are near the Aerie. They haven’t been allowed free range yet since their attachment to humans is still too strong but they should be able to help keep the way clear to the Aerie.”

_She thinks it strange we haven’t met any dragons yet,_ Jonghyun admitted.

“That’s good, isn’t is?” Jinki asked, a hesitant smile on his face.

“Yes,” Taekwoon agreed after a slight delay, his eyes switching to Gain and then back to Jinki, hoping she would understand his intent. She didn’t respond so he wasn’t sure but his focus was back on his other half. Getting to the Aerie really would be good as far as finding out the answer to their question, even if he wasn’t certain given what Jinki was going through. “But we’ve got some others on the way too. They haven’t been able to keep up and have fallen behind.”

Gain’s gaze traveled over Jinki _almost_ seamlessly before she looked at Taekwoon again. Jonghyun translated once more. “She’ll try to send some allies to help guide our wing mates to us so they won’t have to deal with the wilds and riderless dragons,” Taekwoon explained as he reached out and brushed his fingers against Jinki’s arm. “We’re not far now either.” He almost didn’t realize what he’d said as he parroted the words and he was struck by a belated sense of shock. Of course he knew they should be able to reach the Aerie today, but he hadn’t anticipated it being so soon.

“Do you know where Tiamat is?” Jinki asked, shifting as if to peer around Gain’s body like it would somehow reveal the dragon god to him.

Gain hesitated for a moment. Taekwoon didn’t know if it was because she was unsure who was asking – Jinki or the probable Bahamut, or if she was actively trying to think of where the other one was. Jonghyun didn’t tell him either, but he did relay her message which he voiced for Jinki. “Apparently she’s resting. But Gain doesn’t know where. She can feel that she is though,” the rider shrugged, partly hoping his other half was asking because he was just curious.

“That’s at least a little encouraging I guess,” Jinki shrugged, brow furrowing as it was also slightly troubling.

Yes it was good she was resting and not in a position to immediately stop them, but the fact the dragon didn’t know where she was meant she could be anywhere… Almost. Taekwoon realized it was possible she could even be hiding in another dragon if she did what Bahamut was doing. That was a terrifying thought indeed. “Okay,” he exhaled, licking his suddenly dry lips. “I guess we better use our time wisely then. Gain,” he called, nodding in her direction.

The gold closed her eyes and tilted her head, rather like she was listening. _And talking,_ Jonghyun explained easily.

_Is her range better than yours?_ Taekwoon wondered.

Jonghyun didn’t immediately answer but when he did, his rider was a bit surprised. _Yes._ Before Taekwoon could even ask why, the copper supplied it for him. _No human spirit to weaken range. And dragon Paramours sensitive. Spend much time in Trance._

 _Huh,_ Taekwoon hummed to himself, looking at the gold with new respect. _I wonder if Fei has a better range too…_ he trailed off, knowing the bond was not Symbiosis between her and Chaerin.

_Probably,_ his dragon shrugged, giving him a mental nudge to show that Gain was finished. _If ready, can go. She called other dragons to help and provide cover._

“Good,” Taekwoon smiled, a tense but genuine expression. “Ready, Jinki?” he asked, looking over at his other half as he extended his hand to him.

“As ready as I’m going to be,” the Aerie Master exhaled, lightly taking Taekwoon’s hand while he looked behind them as if he could see the missing riders. But there was no sign of them and the way before them was clear for now. So long as someone reached the High Priest first, before Tiamat became aware, it didn’t really matter.

“Let’s go then,” Taekwoon urged with a nod towards the sack. “Might as well maintain the disguise, just in case.”

Jinki grimaced but didn’t complain. They settled back into place and waited for Jonghyun to take care of the rest. From there, it really didn’t take long for them to approach Tiamat’s Aerie. As they came into view of the familiar setup, they were just as surprised by the destruction here. Where home had been dug up and decimated, Tiamat’s Aerie looked to have been demolished from within. It was like something had exploded from the heart of the Aerie and there was now a massive hole where the commons should have been.

_How do you think Tiamat got free?_ Jonghyun asked as if the answer was obvious.

_Fair enough…_ his rider trailed off, though it was still quite a sight to behold. It only seemed to make their task feel all the more impossible though and he had to push the thought aside with stolid determination. _Any sign of Kevin?_ he asked instead, searching the surface for any signs of life.

_No but mate sees Hero. And others,_ he added after a slight pause.

Immediately, Taekwoon’s head swiveled to see if he could spot them, dragon half rising to the fore to help his vision. Oh. There he was. The silver was almost impossible to miss, and spread around the outskirts of the Aerie, he could also see a few other colors, but from this far out, it was too hard to tell who was who without Jonghyun’s help. They kept their distance and watched from afar instead, heads swinging back and forth between the Aerie and abroad.

_Want to come but suspicious if too many move at this time of day,_ his dragon explained. _Gain says they do not spend much time in Aerie. Well, the wilds anyway. Most sleep outside but for us, it is familiar. Like home._

Taekwoon could understand that feeling all too well. He slept better at home too. But while that answered his curiosity for the dragons, he had to turn his attention to finding the High Priest. After all, he was the reason they were here in the first place. Most of the buildings had been destroyed and it looked like that had been intentional. But one was still standing relatively untouched. The shrine… _There,_ he pointed, knowing Jonghyun would feel what he meant.

_Understood,_ he nodded, banking to bring them close. As they descended, he tilted his head and added, _Gain says Fei is within range now. On her way. Fei says Gunwoo not too far behind. Thinks Seohyun may be behind him._

“Good,” he murmured, looking at Jinki. “Our wing mates are getting close,” he called out, smiling when his other half looked at him with relief.

“Good to know,” he grinned, the expression falling just as quickly as Jonghyun landed, setting them down with as much care as he could muster.

They had to shield their faces from the rising dust of three pairs of wings, but then they were standing and the sturdy remains of Tiamat’s Shrine were before them. _You should probably get in the air. Safer and we can let you know if anything happens._

 _You sure?_ his dragon asked, amber eyes peering at him with understandable worry.

_Yeah._ He reached out and pat the copper’s nose with a reassuring nod. “Let’s go,” he added, extending his hand towards Jinki again. It was a small comfort that his other half took it quietly, face nervous but determined when they headed for the door. They flinched as the dragons launched into the air behind them, pelting them with debris briefly, but then it was almost too quiet when they stopped in front of the barrier.

Glancing at Jinki once, Taekwoon nodded and then pushed at the slightly ajar door, inhaling when it moved open with too little resistance. The space within was small, much like Bahamut’s Shrine back home. It had similar wooden benches lined on either side of the interior with a walkway in the middle. There were plenty of torches burning to light the place too, but the biggest differences were Tiamat’s statue and Kevin. The statue had been pushed off the dais and one wing was broken under the heavy weight of stone. Standing in front of the dais with his back to them and muttering under his breath was none other than the High Priest.

“Kevin!” Taekwoon nearly spat, his free hand balling into a fist as he glared at the other man from afar.

The High Priest gave a startled grunt and spun around to face the intruders, eyes wide in an unusually visible face. Taekwoon and Jinki both exchanged quick looks before focusing on the other man again. Straight, honey colored hair framed a very pretty face that looked about the same age as theirs. But the mouth was pulled back in an ugly grimace and his normally calm eyes were hard and wild. In one hand, he gripped a small knife and the other dripped red from where it hung at his side. “You,” he muttered with irritated frustration. It was like he wasn’t even surprised to see them, though his focus was mostly for Taekwoon.

Despite being the center of the other man’s attention, Taekwoon stepped forward just a touch and put Jinki behind him, just in case. “Yes, me,” he agreed with a growl, firmly keeping his growing desire to attack the other man in check.

For a moment, Kevin raised the dagger in his fist like he wanted to attack Taekwoon too, but the fit of pique passed quickly enough. “Useless,” he scoffed, rolling his eyes and turning around to resume his focus on the dais.

Taekwoon blinked in surprise. That was not a response he was expecting and he was tempted to look back at Jinki. But marks of training bade him not to lose focus of his target. That was when he was most likely to strike after all. Instead, he took a breath and cautiously made his way forward to try and see what the priest was working on. His free hand lingered near his sword preemptively and his inner dragon hovered right beneath the surface, ready to move if needed. Edging around the benches on the outside, he could see there were some sort of wet markings on the dais, but it was hard to read them from this distance.

Kevin took a breath and then exhaled irritably. “Either kill me or don’t but make up your mind. You’re bothering me,” he scowled, making a quick drawing motion on the dais with his right hand, the bloody one.

Tamping down his irritation and very real desire to hurt the priest, he grit his teeth and spoke, “We need your help. _If_ you can do it,” he added, the statement as much a taunt as he could make it.

The High Priest laughed once and shook his head. “No.” He paid them no more attention than he would give a fly before he resumed his focus on the markings.

It was such a simple word and yet, it invoked a burning rage in Taekwoon. Unable to ignore it, he launched himself forward and grabbed the back of Kevin’s neck to slam his head against the dais. The High Priest went limp for a breath and the dagger fled from limp fingers. Free of that danger, Taekwoon spun him around and laid him out against the dais, pinning the priest with his elbow on his throat and his body weight. “Care to try again?” he growled, letting his inner dragon come to the fore, amber eyes blazing.

Kevin coughed first, a thin and choking sound, before he laughed. It was bitter and without mirth. “You won’t kill me.”

“Maybe not, but I _can_ hurt you,” the dragonrider promised, leaning a little harder.

Again, Kevin choked, making Taekwoon ease back slightly, but then he snorted. “You won’t do that either.” At Taekwoon’s confused look, he rolled his eyes and added, “You might hate me and your dragon might hate me and the dragon in you might hate me, but it’s not in you to _knowingly_ torture someone,” he taunted, the statement all the more biting because it was probably true.

“Fine,” he spat after a long pause. “Maybe I won’t,” he agreed, shoving at Kevin’s chest before he stepped back and let the other man slump down against the front of the dais. It was then that he could see what he had been working on. Runes. Written in blood. His own if his hand was any indication. Taekwoon’s actions had ruined whatever it had been but knowing the High Priest, it probably wasn’t good. “But my dragon doesn’t have such qualms,” he reminded the other man with a glare. “So I’ll ask you again. Can you help us?”

Kevin’s eyes swung to something behind Taekwoon, lingering for a breath, before meeting the rider’s gaze again. “What’s in it for me if I can?” he asked with a shrug, lifting his right hand to press at the oozing cuts in his palm.

It took a lot for Taekwoon to not punch the High Priest, but they needed him. Potentially. And his inner dragon subsided with that caveat. For now anyway. “What do you want?” he asked with his hands balled into tight fists.

The High Priest laughed dryly as he flexed his hands in front of him. “To have the power of a god,” he snorted, looking up to meet Taekwoon’s gaze. “So that I can lead humanity on a better path.” Kevin smiled and the expression looked brittle and fake. He glanced down at his hands again with a shake of his head so he didn’t see what happened next.

Taekwoon’s disgust gave way to uncertain surprise when he felt and heard his sword draw free from its scabbard. Even with his draconic senses, he was barely fast enough to watch as Jinki took his blade and stabbed Kevin cleanly through the head. “Jinki!” he gasped, one hand stalling in the air as he instinctively realized it was not him.

A deep and sonorous voice emerged next, chilling him to the bone. “Priest. You have been judged unfit and executed accordingly. No man can become a god,” he stated as if it was law, letting the blade go so that Kevin’s body might fall to the ground.

“Bahamut,” Taekwoon whispered, every nerve alight with tension.

Jinki turned, his eyes blazing silver, and looked at the rider with a frightening resolve. “I have seen and heard enough,” he announced in that impossibly deep voice that resonated through Taekwoon like a gong. “Even bound and imprisoned as I was, I had hoped there was some greater growing purpose to your foolishness. I see I misplaced my hopes. You are all flawed, broken creatures,” Bahamut spoke with disgust, a sentiment that literally made Taekwoon feel worthless when hearing it from the god’s perspective. “Worse still. You have _ruined_ my first children with your pathetic machinations.” Jinki’s body stood up straight, head tilted upwards so that he could look down at the human before him. “There is no other recourse,” he surmised with a disappointed sigh. “This time, I will do better.”

Taekwoon flinched back as he felt power building in front of him, but then he realized where it was focusing. “Jinki!” he called, lunging towards his other half with desperate fervor. He stalled in midair though, feeling as if he was being pressed from all sides as time seemed to stop. For a breath, he saw Jinki as he’d always been: human. And then he started to shift, his skin stretching and elongating as something _else_ came to life in the same space. “NO!” Taekwoon howled, witnessing the beginnings of the birth of a dragon before he was tossed away like so much trash.

His body hit the doors of the shrine and crashed through, rolling backwards before he slid to a pained halt. _Taekwoon!_ his dragon called in confusion while the copper immediately swooped down to land heavily beside him.

_It’s Bahamut,_ Taekwoon cringed, staggering to his feet to watch the building explode in front of him. He realized he was too close a breath later and backpedaled with all the haste he could muster, barely getting out of range in time. Jonghyun crow hopped backwards and growled when he saw what rose up from the remains of the building.

The dragon god Bahamut was as large as Tiamat and perfect in all his silver glory. Sleek minimalism highlighted the dragon’s features, showcasing his physical form in the most basic of designs. It did nothing to diminish the power that roiled around him. He planted his front feet on the ground and flared his wings before roaring an ear splitting challenge that made Taekwoon feel nauseous.

Nearby, he heard an answering cry. It must have come from Tiamat, but it didn’t matter. Already dazed, Taekwoon’s focus was on something else entirely. “Jinki…” he exhaled, staggering towards the dragon god’s body as he scoured the grounds for a human form nearby. He braced himself against the powerful gusts and shielded his eyes from the dust storm that erupted when Bahamut launched into the air, but then ploughed forward, desperately searching for his other half. “Jinki!” he called again, stumbling over the debris in his way. _Where is he, Jong?!_ he demanded of his dragon as he clambered through the remains of the shrine. “Jinki!!”

His world stopped entirely when he heard the copper’s answer. _With Bahamut._

Taekwoon’s heart broke at the admission. Then, amber dragon eyes turned to look at the dragon god hovering above the remains of the Aerie. He could not see any sign of Jinki’s body. His physical form was gone… Burning rage flowered to fill in the gaps of his shattered heart and Taekwoon roared. Four spirits beat as one as fury sang through their veins, voices raised to challenge the dragon god. _“Bahamut!”_ he screamed, bounding to Jonghyun’s back with inhuman grace and sticking there like a bur.

The copper clawed his way into the air as he charged at the massive dragon in front of him. Jongup flew close by and everything else was drowned out in the single minded focus of getting to the dragon god and finding out what had happened to Jinki, to getting him back. Jonghyun, Jongup, Taekwoon, and his dragon half were in synch as they cried out, demanding the return of their missing person.

Bahamut stopped looking for Tiamat long enough to turn his attention to the three figures approaching him. Silver eyes glanced over their forms before he snarled in insulted outrage, head darting forward with his mouth open.

Jongup and Jonghyun banked hard. The blue swung free, but massive teeth snapped shut on the end of a copper wing. With no harness or straps to keep him secure, Taekwoon was thrown free as his dragon was literally yanked out from under him. _Jong!_ he screamed in free fall as he felt pain, panic, and fear slam into him through their bond. Desperately, he flailed in the air trying to focus on his dragon, but before he could find him, it felt like Taekwoon’s chest split open. He went limp with a choking gasp and continued to fall as darkness claimed him.


	60. War of the Dragons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay. So this was the part where I knew I could put Chaerin's POV front and center and it works well. Mostly. lol

Chaerin was almost to the Aerie when Fei warned her something was happening. She didn’t know what, but she felt it, so they paused and started winding their way closer to buy time. It was a wise decision, but she was still not prepared for Bahamut’s appearance. Seeing a dragon god in Trance was one thing. Seeing one in person was something else entirely. Chaerin’s eyes grew large as she watched Bahamut rise up from the rubble of the Aerie, devastatingly beautiful but equally terrifying.

In awe, she could only stare and then cringe away as he opened his enormous maw to roar. Fei faltered in flight and they both started falling towards the ground with a head spinning nauseous feeling writhing in their bellies. “Fei!” she cried out, pulling on the harness straps as if it might drag her dragon’s head up.

The cry stopped and Fei leveled out several lengths above the ground, dazed but otherwise unharmed. Her head swung woozily in front but then she focused in Bahamut’s direction with a startled hiccup of sound. A burst of panic and worry rushed through their bond and Chaerin strained to see what had caught her dragon’s attention.

An involuntary gasp escaped her when she saw two dragons rise up in front of Bahamut. The copper and blue were pitifully small in comparison, but they didn’t seem to care or realize the size difference. “No…” she exhaled as she realized who they were. She glanced up at the silver dragon’s head and saw him notice them with a look that turned her stomach again. “NO!” Chaerin screamed, urging Fei to go after them. “Stop!” the rider howled in frightened panic as if her word could somehow turn the dragons from their path. It was too dangerous! What were they doing?!

Horror engulfed her as she saw Bahamut’s head move. Watched him bite Jonghyun’s wing and toss the rider away. Witnessed when the dragon god opened his mouth once more and the copper disappeared inside as it snapped shut twice. Fei’s roar carried what Chaerin felt – betrayed outrage and pain. A giant fist squeezed her chest and made it hard to breathe for a moment. Not that it mattered. Several things happened all at once right after.

The shadow of Tiamat’s midnight colored body rose up from the ground too close and yet too far away. She howled an answering challenge that _hurt_ from the inside out and Bahamut rushed to meet her. The wind from his wings grabbed the bodies of Jongup and Taekwoon and tumbled them away through the air. Chaerin quailed under the knowledge they were too far away to help them. Too far to do anything more than watch as they fell…

But a ray of hope broke through as a golden arrow of frantic energy beat through the wind to snatch the rider from the air, drawing him close protectively. Chaerin’s heart leaped into her throat as she realized it was Gain. “Go!” she urged, seeing the gold sight on the wretched blue tumbling by the side of the mountain nearby. Jongup either wasn’t conscious or he was unable to move. Either way, hitting the ground now would mean certain death. “Save him!” Chaerin cried as she reached her hand out like it would help.

Doggedly, Gain trailed after the falling blue. Her head glanced down at the rider in one claw, as if uncertain for a brief moment, but then she lunged forward. With a powerful beat of her wings, the gold arced over Jongup’s back and reached her free hand to curl under his neck near his chest. Her hind legs clamped down on his hindquarters as she yanked up, her head leaning back while they leveled out. It was obviously an awkward hold with only one arm to support Jongup’s front, but she had done it.

Fei called out, both vocally and mentally, and Gain’s head swung in their direction almost desperately. The golds surged towards each other, a frantic exchange of words streaming between them. Chaerin got the feeling that the rider was still in trouble and her gut clenched. As fast as possible, they came together and spiraled down, Fei moving to support Jongup to ease the burden. Their landing on the ground below the Aerie was still harder than it should have been but haste was Gain’s foremost concern. When Chaerin moved closer, the gold practically shoved Taekwoon’s unconscious form into her arms.

With a startled yelp, she collapsed under his dead weight, but struggled upright immediately to check his condition. Her heart dropped again when she realized he wasn’t breathing and looked at Gain with obvious panic. “What do I do?!” she gasped in frantic fear. Basic first aid she knew. Bringing someone back from this…

For a heartbeat, Gain looked at her with a glance that screamed of dry disappointment before she leaned close, bringing their eyes level. It was a sign of wanting to go into Trance and Chaerin leaped at it, falling into the shared space with the Paramour easily. Gain was literally there to catch her in an environment that that didn’t seem to have any solid form. It was all just roiling clouds of dark and light and a general sense of unease.

“You must breathe life back into him!” Gain instructed, pushing Chaerin down so she could demonstrate. “Like this.” Too caught off guard to object, Chaerin made a soft sound of surprise when Gain plugged her nose and then placed her mouth on top of hers. “Breathe,” she instructed, pulling away before moving her hands over the rider’s chest. “And press,” the Paramour continued, pressing her hands down firmly.

“What?” Chaerin coughed, confused and at a loss.

“Now help him!” Gain commanded, literally pushing her out of Trance as quickly as she’d entered.

Chaerin reeled from the sudden shift and took a hiccupping breath. She shook her head and looked at the Paramour who nodded her head towards the unconscious rider. “Okay,” Chaerin swallowed, taking it on faith that Gain wouldn’t lead her astray. She settled Taekwoon on the ground and plugged his nose with one hand. “Breathe,” she mirrored the instruction, copying Gain’s example. Taekwoon’s chest rose as her breath filled his lungs. “Press,” she told herself, placing her hands on his chest and pressing down.

Nothing happened. Fear rose up to gnaw at her belly. Chaerin looked at Gain and the dragon nodded at his body. Fei clarified with a feeling of repeat, so she pressed again. And again. But still, nothing happened. Warm air blew over her face and Fei sent the feeling of repeat once more.

“Oh!” Chaerin gasped in growing understanding. Not just once. She had to keep doing it. Again, she breathed into him and again, she pressed on his chest. Fear and desperation set in on the third round. “Come on!” she pleaded, trying once more.

On the fourth attempt, Taekwoon’s body flinched as he gasped. His eyes opened and he stared at the sky before he exhaled, “Jong…”

Chaerin’s elation at his waking up was short lived when he immediately fell unconscious. But at least he was breathing again. “What happened?” she asked, glancing between the two golds. They exchanged glances as if to say they didn’t know and then looked back down at the riders between them. “Taekwoon,” Chaerin murmured, smoothing his hair back from his face and then looking over the rest of him.

With that crisis averted, they could no longer ignore what was happening beyond them. All three flinched when a loud roar and a crashing sound washed over them. Turning to look at the same time, they could see that Bahamut and Tiamat were fighting. It was Tiamat that had hit the ground and dust whirled around her violently as she launched back into the air. The ground where she’d fallen was nothing more than a crater of shattered trees and broken earth.

“Now what do we do?” Chaerin asked in a small voice. She looked to the golds for some sort of guidance but gasped when Gain flinched and shook her head.

Fei warned of danger and looked to the sky herself. Chaerin’s eyes grew large again as the blue expanse above started to fill with dragons flying in from the surrounding areas. That would have been bad enough but they began fighting each other as soon as they got in range.

“What’s happening?” Chaerin whispered, horrified now as she leaned over Taekwoon’s body protectively. “Gain. Fei,” she added, looking to the golds once more.

Gain literally bristled, back hunching as her wings started to flare before she shuddered and shook her head. With a quick look at Fei, she nodded and then jumped into the air, flying back the way they’d come from.

“Huh?” the rider chirped, confused and no small amount worried. When Fei leaned close, she glanced around to make sure they were safe and then met her golden eyes, letting herself be drawn into Trance once more.

Like before, the gold dragon caught her as she entered the turbulent space. “Careful,” Fei encouraged in her human guise, though the edges seemed to blur as if she was having a hard time holding her form.

“What’s wrong?” Chaerin asked, holding tight to Fei’s arms as she stared at the dragon.

Fei winced and tilted her head like she was hearing something that Chaerin couldn’t. “Bahamut and Tiamat are fighting. I can hear the call to fight too,” she admitted, shaking her head reflexively again.

“Why did Gain leave? What are we supposed to do?” she asked, biting her bottom lip firmly. This was so beyond her. “And what happened before we got here?”

“Gain explained it before she left,” Fei grimaced, nose wrinkling in distaste. “Bahamut killed High Priest. Took Jinki’s body.” Chaerin reeled from the information but her dragon wasn’t done yet. “Gain left to find the riders. They’re in danger now,” she explained, looking down as if picking her thoughts carefully. “She said that Bahamut’s blood is making her want to fight Tiamat. Dragons bound with Tiamat’s blood are probably feeling the same. But the wilds only know the urge to fight. Bahamut. Tiamat. Other dragons. I… feel that,” she admitted, hand waving close to her head while another wrinkle marred her brow.

“But why are Tiamat and Bahamut fighting?” Chaerin asked, turning to look at the violently churning space around them. She felt Fei stiffen and turned to look at her dragon with worry.

“Jongup…” the gold breathed, looking around in awe.

“Here?” her rider blinked, trying to find the blue as well.

Fei suddenly reached out and Chaerin flinched when a body just appeared out of nowhere. A naked human crashed into Fei with a broken sob. Strangely, she didn’t move from the impact. Rather she folded her arms around the sobbing man and held him close. All of the conflicted tension just fled from her, Jongup’s sadness engulfing the space around them like a blanket. It appeared to completely block out whatever else she was hearing.

“Mate… gone…” he sobbed, collapsing to his knees when Fei lowered them to the ground. Pain nearly rendered his words unintelligible, but it was easy enough to feel what he meant. “Jinki… mostly gone,” he hiccupped against Fei’s shoulder, one hand reaching past her like he could see something she couldn’t. “Rider… can’t… reach,” he managed to spit out, body convulsing with great bursts of air. For just a moment, the pain turned to anger as he stiffened around Fei’s body, fingers suddenly digging into her back and shoulders. She winced as he literally growled, “Bahamut’s fault!”

Captive to the emotions swirling around the dragons, Chaerin could only watch and listen. She didn’t even know where to start or what to say, but she reached her hands forwards carefully, almost like she would to soothe a wild animal. “What does Bahamut want?” she asked gently, keeping her voice low and calm.

Jongup’s anger fled again as despair and pain took its place. “To destroy everything!” he wailed, curling even closer to Fei as if he was a child seeking solace in her lap.

Fei just held him close and nuzzled his head, trying to offer what comfort she could. “He needs Taekwoon like Taekwoon needs him,” she whispered, looking up at Chaerin with heartbroken eyes. “They have a bond but rider probably can’t see it. Too much pain,” she sniffed as she rocked Jongup gently.

Chaerin’s heart hurt just from watching them and she couldn’t even imagine what Taekwoon would feel when he woke up. She was loathe to make him try and confront that reality. But something Jongup said caught her attention. “What did he mean by Jinki was mostly gone?”

Fei pet the back of Jongup’s head and took a breath. “He feels Jinki. They are bonded too but it’s weak. There is no body but he believes Jinki is alive,” she explained, looking at all three bodies in the Trance space thoughtfully before she met her rider’s gaze again.

Now that was something she could hold onto, something she could gladly tell Taekwoon. It might be enough to pull him from the loss of Jonghyun. Maybe. She just had to make sure he woke up first… “Okay,” Chaerin nodded, pulling her hands back and holding them close. She took one final look at Jongup but it hurt to see him so broken so she fled, exiting Trance as fast as she could. She was not prepared for the noise around her when she returned and shied away from it with a very physical reaction. When a dragon body landed all too close to their location, Chaerin screamed and pressed up against the gold’s body. “Fei!” she cried out in warning, feeling the dragon come to life almost immediately.

A large hand gripped her and the other picked Taekwoon off the ground before Fei hopped over to Jongup’s prone body with a couple quick wing beats. She set the humans down before she placed herself defensively above the blue, tail thrashing and wings spread wide while her head searched the skies.

Chaerin pulled Taekwoon close and followed her example, spying a silver dragon flying circles above them. Over her, she felt Fei relax slightly and got the sensation of the silver being a friend. An ally was good, but when she felt ‘leader’ in addition, she laughed slightly. “Hero,” Chaerin whispered, tracking him for a moment before searching the general area. Numerous dragons were still flocking to Bahamut and Tiamat, swarming around the dragon gods ineffectively, but those that were here were generally fighting. As she watched, Hero was soon joined by a bronze and a white, the trio briefly standoffish before they shook themselves and set up a defensive pattern.

A faint human voice made her look away from the battle and Chaerin smiled in real relief as she saw several riders on the back of a gold. “Chaerin!” the one in front called out, staring down at her intently. When Gain got closer, she could see it was Insoo in front and behind him was Wooyoung, Jinyoung, and Taeyeon.

“Insoo!” she called out, one arm still holding Taekwoon and the other waving at the incoming riders. They were alright.

Gain deposited them quickly and then returned to the air, flying back in the direction she’d come from. Chaerin glanced at her and then focused on the riders who ignored the gold in favor of the scene before them. Insoo was the first to come kneel beside her. “What happened?” he asked, taking off his glove to check on Taekwoon personally, fingers lingering under his nose to check for breath before resting against his forehead. Only then did he look up to meet Chaerin’s eyes.

She had the answer and was ready to say it but when she met his gaze, the words stalled on her tongue. Chaerin opened and closed her mouth as tears stung her eyes. She had to look away and instead focused on Jongup, her fingers tightening on Taekwoon’s clothes. “I… Jong… Baha…” she started several different times, the words fading out before they could become sentences. Not that it mattered. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end and she became aware of a growing ringing sound that drowned out all other noise.

As one, the humans turned towards the sound with rising horror. Nearby, Bahamut and Tiamat had locked their front claws together, butting heads hard as they flapped at matching intervals. The physical power struggle was obvious. Less obvious but far more frightening was the way the air around them seemed to shimmer as the keening noise grew. It became too sharp too fast and Chaerin clapped her hands over her ears while she ducked her head in pain. Eyes clenched shut, she didn’t know what the impacts nearby or the shadow that fell over them were, but they were nothing in comparison to the sense of impending danger.

Chaerin screamed. Or she thought she did. But she could neither hear nor feel it over the thunderous boom that preceded a literal wall of wind washing over her like a wave, the roar of it deafening. When it passed, an oppressive silence settled and she opened her eyes in shock. The shadow over them was cast by four dragons forming a protective shield of overlapping wings and necks. The dragons moved sluggishly, swaying where they crouched with dazed eyes blinking slowly.

“Is everyone alright?” Chaerin frowned at the sound of the question. It was so faint and it took a moment to recognize what the question was. She squinted and realized it had come from Insoo but it was like she was hearing it underwater.

The keening cry that rose from the silence next cut right through the fog of deafness. All the dragons around them reeled back in pain, revealing an impossible sight. Dragon bodies were raining from the sky around a parted Bahamut and Tiamat. Around them, a barren circle of lifelessness had appeared and in the exact spot where they had met, the earth was now cracked. A yawning ravine had opened between them, extending in either direction as far as Chaerin could see.

It was Tiamat that was crying though, her pain resonating in the air as much as through Trance. Bahamut did naught but watch as the black dragon stared at her dead and dying children, keening again at the loss of life. Then she looked at Bahamut at last and raged, the timbre of her voice shifting in the blink of an eye. Bahamut roared back, a throaty challenge, and flew after her when she launched away in the opposite direction of him.

Trembling and stunned, Chaerin wiped at the unbidden tears on her cheeks and then looked at the riders. They all appeared shaken and lost, just like she felt. None of them had any words. Just pounding hearts and still ringing ears and an aching pain that settled firmly in their chests.

A tiny whimper nearby broke the spell. Chaerin jerked with a gasp and looked under Fei. The blue dragon moved his head minutely and let out a heartbreaking whine again. There was no mistaking he was crying and it physically pained Chaerin to hear it. Her bottom lip trembled as she hugged Taekwoon tighter, as if she could somehow make him whole or at least hold him together.

Then the three new dragons moved at the same time, two drawing close to nose at their riders lovingly before crowding around Fei and Jongup. While the gold curled around him like a mother holding her child, the others carefully settled on and around them, pressing close in a comforting pile of bodies and soft crooning sounds.

Chaerin had never seen anything like it. Painful in its reality, it was equally beautiful and she brushed at new tears with a shaking breath. A hand on her shoulder made her jump lightly but then she looked over and saw who it was. “Insoo,” she sniffed, swallowing what hurt she could so she might be able to speak.

“Are you okay?” he asked gently, his face an honest mirror of concern and pain. She started to nod, to at least try and put on a brave front, but that effort failed. Chaerin stopped and shook her head, looking down. She very much was not okay. “I understand,” Insoo reassured her, shifting his hand to rest on top of her head. “But right now, I need to know what happened,” he added quietly, moving his hand to place his fingers under her chin so he could lift her face up to meet his gaze.

Chaerin sniffed again and hastily wiped at her eyes once more before she gave a tiny nod and took a shaky breath. “Okay,” she whispered, glancing down at Taekwoon’s resting body.

While she tried to explain what she understood had happened, the other riders drew close to listen in as well. No one asked any questions and they only paused when Gain returned with Jungkook, Hyunseong, the rest of their dragons, and a handful of new but familiar dragons. A worse for wear V was hovering close by but Kwangmin was notably missing and his rider looked… broken.

Insoo nodded at Taeyeon and Jinyoung to attend to them and then urged Wooyoung to go check on Gain when she simply collapsed nearby. The wing leader stayed to hear the rest of the explanation, occasionally looking up when they heard a distant roar or sound that they couldn’t identify. There was little doubt the dragon gods were still fighting…

When she was finished speaking, Insoo took a breath and pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers. The situation was bad. There was no other way to describe it. But… they were alive and that was a start. He opened his eyes to take a look at the dragons they had nearby. All of their dragons were present except Jonghyun and Kwangmin. He could also see Yunho in the pile of dragons and Gain nearby. Beyond the immediate ring, he counted about fifteen Aerie dragons milling about uncertainly. And his riders looked equally lost…

First things first. Given the situation, they wouldn’t be moving anywhere immediately. Everyone felt at least somewhat broken and they needed time to figure things out. Quickly, the wing leader built up what walls he could to hold himself together and took a forceful breath. “Wooyoung,” he called, sighting on the nearest rider who jumped at the sound of his name. “Take Junho and check the Aerie. See if there’s a secure place we can make camp for now.”

Wooyoung blinked as if dazed and then shook his head to free himself. “Yes, sir,” he responded quietly, getting to his feet and hurrying over to climb slowly onto his red.

_See if one or two of the other dragons can go with him,_ he encouraged Gunwoo who simply gave an affirmative and looked from the pile over Jongup towards their allies behind them. Insoo looked around again and set his sights on Jungkook, Taeyeon, Jinyoung, and Hyunseong. “Jinyoung.” His second in command jerked to attention. “Take JB and see if you can find any survivors where the gods were fighting,” he instructed with a nod. _Send a couple more with him if you can,_ he added to his dragon.

“Of course,” Jinyoung nodded, giving one final reassuring pat on Jungkook’s shoulders before hurrying over to do as asked.

“Taeyeon. I need you to fly perimeter,” he added, looking at the rider comforting Hyunseong. “See if you can find any survivors or maybe food for the dragons,” he encouraged with a reassuring nod.

She frowned at him for a second, glancing at Hyunseong beside her. When Insoo gave her a light shake of his head, she sighed and nodded in response. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“Thank you.” _Woo?_ he called, reaching for his dragon when this order felt harder than the others. Especially because the white dragon had to pull free carefully from the pile around Jongup to join her rider.

_I will find someone to go with her,_ he promised reassuringly, sending what comfort he could through their bond.

Insoo nodded and then moved closer to the remaining two riders. Jungkook looked a bit rough but there was at least awareness in his eyes. The same could not be said for his companion. “Alright,” Insoo soothed, pausing next to Hyunseong as he reached down to gently help the rider up. “Jungkook,” he called with a nod at the other side.

“Oh,” the younger rider jerked, rushing to help.

Between them, they guided Hyunseong over to where Chaerin was keeping a watch on Taekwoon. “Can you watch him for now?” he asked as they settled the doll like rider next to his half-sister.

“Yeah,” she agreed easily, reaching for Hyunseong’s hand and guiding him to rest beside her. “I’ve got you, Seongi” she soothed, easing his head to rest against her shoulder so she could loop her arm around his back in quiet support.

“Thank you,” Insoo whispered, earning a small smile from the other rider. Satisfied, he turned to face his remaining companion. “I need you to stay here and keep watch with them. Okay?” he prompted, placing his hand on the younger rider’s shoulder and giving a firm squeeze. “Can you do that?”

“Yes,” Jungkook nodded quickly, swallowing hard to try and get control of himself. “Sir,” he added belatedly with a flinch.

“Good man,” Insoo smiled, the expression hollow and forced but enough to encourage his wing mate. “I’m going to go and see if there’s any information in the Aerie. If you see anything, let Gunwoo know. Got it?”

“Yes, sir,” Jungkook answered quickly this time, seemingly more engaged now that he had a task and a purpose again.

_Woo. Let’s go,_ he called for his dragon, feeling his heart lift and tear at the same time when the bronze moved to join him quickly, coming free from the pile around Jongup. Only Hero and Fei were left to comfort the mate-less blue. It was a bitter shot to swallow that two of his wing had lost their dragons and he still had his.

_It’s not your fault,_ his dragon promised as he helped the rider climb up with one of his front claws.

_I know,_ Insoo responded with a quick nod. _But it doesn’t make me feel any better all the same._ He felt his dragon shrug in acceptance and then turn his attention to their next target. Muscles bunched under Insoo’s legs and he held tight when the bronze leapt into the air. It was a long shot, but maybe Tiamat’s Aerie would have something they could use or information they could make use of to try and turn things around. Even if not, it was at least something to keep him distracted for the time being while he tried to think of what to do next.

They were stranded in enemy territory with more broken and injured members than he cared to think about.

The dragon gods were fighting and capable of causing mass destruction in the process.

And the one person that might have been able to help them tame or temper either of them was apparently quite dead.

But Insoo was alive and he was going to make damn sure as many others stayed that way as he could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Admittedly, some things have been happening that I hadn't planned for and adjusting to curve balls is always interesting, but I'm not too upset with where things are going. What has happened is mostly what I intended, with some differences in execution along the way. XD And because the last update was a helluva cliffhanger, I really did feel the need to get this one out asap. Not bad for finishing it in two days. lol Hit a snag yesterday otherwise I would have posted it then. >.>
> 
> That being said, I will do my best to get the next update out in a reasonable manner so in the meantime, thank you for reading and I hope that you enjoyed this chapter. Please look forward to the next and if you've any questions, I'm all ears! There are a couple info bits I'm not sure I'll be able to fit in story-wise (realistically and sensibly speaking) but we'll see. Thanks again and see you next time!


	61. The Human Condition

Tiamat’s Aerie was a mess. As expected, almost all of the buildings had been nearly completely destroyed and the only one that seemed able to hold people securely was the shrine. Insoo worked with Wooyoung to clear out the remains of the priest and clean up the worst of the blood before he had Fei bring Chaerin up with Hyunseong and Taekwoon. Hero brought Jongup with them but Insoo didn’t know what to do about the despondent blue. Normally a healer or Paramour would work with them to try and recover, but they were the only humans nearby and Gain was still sleeping for the time being. All he could do in the meantime was focus on what he could do with what he had.

By the end of the day, the news he had was mostly bad. If there was food for humans anywhere in the Aerie, it was hidden or otherwise unreachable. The same could be said for the dragons – Taeyeon and Seohyun found no suitable game nearby that would feed half their numbers, much less the twenty plus they _had_ managed to gather. Their store of supplies amounted to only what they had brought with them, which wouldn’t last long at all under the circumstances. And though Jinyoung found a few breathing dragons amid the fallen, only six seemed likely to _survive_.

The one bright side seemed to be that the wilds in the area had either been killed off or fled when the dragon gods did. It was surprisingly peaceful in the aftermath, though they could all feel the occasional tremble beneath them.

With troubled eyes, Insoo looked to the horizon. He couldn’t see Bahamut or Tiamat in the distance, but he knew they were still fighting. Gunwoo could feel it and it was really the only way to explain the tremors they experienced from time to time. The Wing Leader took a moment to glance back at their small gathering and he forced himself to take solace in the fact that it was not a total loss.

_It is good that many we lost have been found again,_ Gunwoo agreed, looking at him from where the dragon was lying nearby.

Insoo didn’t want to spoil the thought so he nodded in quiet agreement. He couldn’t keep entirely silent though and added, _That is true for dragons. Not so much for riders,_ he exhaled, recognizing that several among their numbers seemed to carry an unseen burden on their bowed shoulders.

_Sorry,_ the bronze apologized immediately, pained chagrin limning his voice.

With a wave, Insoo brushed it off. He knew his dragon meant no offense. It was a good thing that so many dragons were alright. It was just one more thing to add to their growing list of hurdles to overcome. His stomach grumbled when he caught a whiff of the soup Jinyoung was cooking nearby, but Insoo turned his attention to the dragons and their dilemma. _Thoughts on food?_ he wondered, knowing their continued survival would hinge on the dragons’ ability to keep living.

Gunwoo was silent for a long moment, obviously wrestling with something he didn’t find particularly pleasant. _It’s not ideal but…_ he trailed off, swinging his head towards the battlefield. _There is food nearby,_ the bronze huffed, an obvious curl of his lip in the statement. _I fear we have gained human sensibilities when it comes to food,_ the dragon almost snorted with a shake of his head.

_Sorry,_ Insoo returned with a hollow smile. He knew as well as any rider did that wilds would often make meals of defeated dragons in their territory. It just felt taboo to consider eating the fallen. _If there’s nothing else,_ he shrugged, giving his tacit albeit uncomfortable blessing. _Though I might suggest doing so when it gets dark._

 _Of course,_ Gunwoo scoffed, playfully offended his rider might think anything else.

“Soo,” a familiar voice called to him from behind, footsteps noticeably loud to announce their arrival.

Insoo turned to see Jinyoung approaching him, a bowl carefully cradled in his hands. “Hey, Jin,” he greeted with a quick wave, turning to better face the other man. “What’s the news?” he asked, glancing over the rider’s shoulder to get a glimpse of Jungkook and Chaerin taking a couple bowls into the shrine while Taeyeon and Wooyoung ate theirs under the sky.

“Food first,” Jinyoung laughed once, pressing the bowl into his wing leader’s hands and standing there with an expectant look on his face.

It was thin and watery with dried meat and what root vegetables traveled well, but it was far better than nothing. Dutifully, Insoo took a couple bites and nodded in thanks. The taste left a bit to be desired but at least they’d brought a salt block. “How’s everyone holding up?” he asked, taking a breath as he let the first bites settle.

“I should be asking you that,” his second frowned knowingly, one brow raised.

“You know me. I’ll be fine for now,” he promised with a quick smile, the expression weaker than it should have been but still earnest.

“Yeah, yeah. No time to be human for the leader right now,” Jinyoung scowled with a roll of his eyes. “Which is probably good because everyone else is,” he exhaled, squatting down to take a seat on the ground and massaging the back of his neck with his fingers. “Wooyoung’s like you – holding it together on the outside for now. Taeyeon’s mad at you and not really talking to anyone at the moment. Jungkook is… dealing with guilt and inadequacy,” he explained, shrugging as if that was to be expected. “It’s a miracle Chaerin is still functioning as well as she is and Hyunseong is practically a statue. Not to mention our dear Taekwoon is still unconscious,” he exhaled, bowing his head to rub at his neck again. “And that’s only the humans,” the rider practically groaned, shaking his head helplessly.

_Many dragons cannot fly well right now,_ Gunwoo echoed that sentiment. _Many hurts in body and spirit._

“Tomorrow, we’ll see if we can make contact with any cities or villages nearby,” Insoo encouraged before he took another bite of food. “It’s a long shot, but someone might have medical supplies we can use for the dragons. Unless we can find some here that haven’t been completely ruined,” he added skeptically.

“I think the bigger concern is just what happens next?” Jinyoung asked, glancing up with lost eyes.

“We take it one day at a time,” Insoo reasoned evenly, setting the bowl aside as he sat down on the ground in front of the other man.

“I mean with Bahamut and Tiamat,” he clarified quietly.

“We still take it day by day,” the wing leader stated again. “We’ve already seen that we can’t beat them as we are so there’s no point in worrying about stopping them right now.”

“But what about the Aerie?” Jinyoung asked, the true root of his worry shining through.

Insoo grimaced and looked away unhappily. “I can’t stop you from worrying but there’s nothing we can do for them.” He could practically feel Jinyoung’s distress, the vague sense of betrayal that followed it. “Tiamat already hit it once. It’s not that far fetched to think it won’t be an immediate target even if they do end up near it,” he reasoned as logically as he could. It was all he had.

They were both quiet for a long moment before Jinyoung muttered, “It’s their fault, isn’t it?”

“No,” Insoo answered immediately, shaking his head.

“But they’re the ones that wanted to come here. Bahamut appeared when they arrived,” Jinyoung pointed out with a frightened but angry expression. “And I know you were keeping an eye on Jinki before we got here,” he admitted as if he was casting blame on the wing leader too.

Insoo took a deep breath and looked at his second with a deadpan expression. “I imagine the others feel the same?” he questioned, running his tongue over his bottom teeth before settling his gaze again. _Woo?_

 _Dragons talking too much. Apologies,_ his dragon mumbled as if partially distracted already.

“They do.”

While he wanted to wish that the Heavens would take them and get them out of his hair with this foolishness, Insoo said no such thing. “Yes, I was watching Jinki. Yes, I knew that Bahamut might have been using him. And yes, I still volunteered to come here because I hoped to find a way to stop Tiamat who, I will remind you, was our biggest concern at the time,” he explained tersely, waving his hand with his index finger extended for each point he made. “Until today, there was still a possibility that Bahamut would help us,” he snapped, letting the angry energy flee as he finished his statement before he crossed his arms over his chest.

“But still…” Jinyoung trailed off, unable to let it go but with no better answer.

“Then what would you have done?” Insoo asked in a flat question, staring at his second until the other rider met his gaze. “Kill Jinki?” he offered when there was no immediate response.

“No!” the rider denied quickly, but Insoo saw the wheels turning and didn’t say anything for a moment. “Maybe…” Jinyoung eventually admitted. “If it could have stopped all this…” he trailed off, seeing Insoo’s disappointed look.

There were a dozen different things he could have said then. It was almost hard to pick one to go with. But Insoo took a breath and laughed while shaking his head. “It’s easy to look back and think about how we _could_ have done things differently,” he muttered with a tight feeling in his chest. “But I do not accept that volunteering people to die will _ever_ be the answer,” he practically snarled, angry in that moment: at himself, at his riders, and especially at Bahamut. “No,” he shook his head firmly and looked away, unable to meet his second’s eyes just then. “If you must blame someone, blame the High Priest. Blame _all_ the priests that bound the dragon gods and brought them to this impasse.

“Soo…” Jinyoung whimpered, practically shrinking in on himself.

Insoo ignored him. “And if you cannot blame them, then blame me for accepting them as they are. But do not blame your wing mate and his mate for this. Don’t,” he stated once more, pointing his finger at Jinyoung before he balled his hand into a fist and took a breath, mentally shaking himself. _Watch Taekwoon tonight,_ he instructed his dragon as he did his best to quash his emotions again.

Properly chastised, Jinyoung ducked his head and got up awkwardly. “I’ll go check on the others again,” he murmured without looking at his wing leader while he fled back to his wing mates.

For a breath, Insoo watched him, wrestling with himself. Then he turned and faced the horizon again, rubbing his face with both hands roughly. He was angry at himself, but largely because he didn’t know what to do with the feelings his second had conjured in him. He couldn’t even be mad at Jinyoung as he himself was being quite the hypocrite. When Taekwoon had first told him about Jinki’s possible connection to Bahamut, he’d had fleeting, similar thoughts as well. Satoru’s worries had not fallen on deaf ears, and after the former Aerie Master had died, Insoo had not been relieved of those concerns.

Guiltily and to his great shame, he had to admit he _had_ considered killing Jinki. It was only in passing but the thought was there. But even then, there had been very large concerns at the same time. One – would it have actually killed the dragon god or just Jinki? Two – would he have even been able to? Three – Taekwoon probably would have killed him in the aftermath... Four – was it worth killing an innocent? Five – what if Bahamut was actually able to help them? And six – what kind of a leader would he be if he willingly hurt or caused hurt to those under his leadership?

_Was I wrong?_ he asked his dragon in a small and uncertain voice as his vision blurred.

_I don’t know,_ was the honest answer before the large bronze head slid under Insoo’s hand and pressed against his closest leg. _But I do know you are trying to be a good leader._

Insoo laughed brokenly as he wiped at his eyes with one hand. _Oh?_ he asked, the simple sound a trembling mess.

_Silly rider,_ Gunwoo chided, brushing harder against his human. _You always question. Always think about what’s right and what’s best. Always worry for the happiness of your wing mates. No one knows what to do all the time,_ he shrugged, crooning happily when Insoo finally gave him scratches on his forehead. _But you always try. For everyone._

 _Thanks, Woo,_ Insoo sighed, letting some of his tension seep into the space around him as he took another deep breath and used his dragon to ground himself. This was not the time to fall apart. That would be much later, if at all. For now, he needed to be able to pull them together for the immediate future and whatever it might bring.

Though they were laboring under vastly different circumstances, Chaerin was also trying not to fall apart. Between dealing with the agony of her half-brother, who felt like he wanted to die but didn’t because he just didn’t have the energy, and dealing with Taekwoon, who was still unconscious but was likely to either want to die or kill everything when he woke up, she didn’t really know what to do. Fei was no help either as she was trying to console Jongup with Hero and it just felt like the world was literally falling apart around her. And though he was trying to be helpful, Jungkook was only adding to that sensation.

The poor man didn’t seem to know what to do with himself as he tried to feed Hyunseong who wasn’t helping in the slightest. “What am I doing wrong?” Jungkook whimpered, face contorted as if he was on the verge of tears while he pressed a spoon determinedly against Hyunseong’s lips, trying to get him to eat.

Chaerin glanced down at her mostly untouched bowl and sighed. “Nothing, Jungkook,” she promised, setting the bowl aside and drifting closer to him and her half-brother.

“But he’s not eating,” the slightly younger man crumpled, dropping the spoon into the bowl and looking down as he obviously fought tears.

She looked around, skipping over the blood stained stone as much as she could, and took a quick breath. “It’s alright,” she soothed, brushing her hand up and down Jungkook’s arm. “You should eat first, okay?” she encouraged, grabbing the bowl and pushing it towards him. “You’ll feel a little better if you do and then you might be able to help him too. Yeah?” she encouraged, forcing a smile she didn’t feel.

“Yeah,” Jungkook grumbled, looking down at the bowl of soup listlessly.

“Don’t make me try to feed you too,” she teased, conjuring just enough of a laugh from him to get a reaction.

“I can feed myself,” he complained half-heartedly, though he smiled as he turned away to do as she suggested.

“Good,” she nodded, covering her mouth and wiping at her chin with a quick hand before she took another breath. Now, if only it was as easy to take care of Taekwoon. She looked down at the unconscious rider beside her and stifled a groan. Part of her wished he would never wake up because it would be easier for all of them, especially him, if he didn’t. Another part railed against that idea and wished fervently that he would. And another irritating fragment pined for him even though he’d effectively lost his mate and his dragon… What was wrong with her?

Determinedly, she turned her attention back to the bowl of soup she’d retrieved and did her best to finish it. She wasn’t hungry, but she knew she needed to eat. It had been a long day after all, and tomorrow would likely bring more of the same. When she was finished, she saw that Jungkook was too. It was almost like he was waiting for her to be done so he could offer to help.

“I was gonna go get some more for him,” he shrugged, nodding at Hyunseong’s still form nearby. “I can get some for Taekwoon too,” he suggested, extending his hand helpfully.

It was such a simple thing and yet it made Chaerin’s stomach do a half-hearted little flip. She laughed once and forced a smile before she nodded and extended her bowl in turn. “Thanks.”

“I’ll be right back,” he promised, hurrying out with both bowls tucked close and a strangely satisfied smile on his face.

That left Chaerin very much alone in a far too oppressive space. She leaned over and brushed at Hyunseong’s hair, tracing it behind his ear before she pet his head and then grabbed his hand in hers. He didn’t say anything but she heard him sigh and watched him tilt his head in her direction, looking down at their hands. She kept one hand on his and then turned to focus on Taekwoon on her other side. No change. Her right hand paused on his chest to feel the reassuring rise and fall and then she pressed her fingers against his forehead to check his temperature. Normal as far as she could tell. Sighing, she brought her hand back to her lap and then glanced at the blood stains on the stone near the dais.

That was her father’s blood… They hadn’t been close and she didn’t care for him in any way that a daughter should, but he had been her father. And now he was dead. A sword through the head. Gone just like that. She felt stupid and a little bad for almost laughing at the lame rhyme in her head. What was worse though was that she hated that he’d left her with so many questions. Hated him for so many reasons… As she heard Jungkook coming back, she wiped at her eyes hastily and took a quick breath, forcing a smile she didn’t feel.

“Here,” Jungkook offered, settling beside her to ease another bowl of warm soup into her hands. He pretended not to see the wetness on her cheeks and gave her a smile instead.

“Thanks,” she sniffed, wiping at her eye once more before she took another breath and forced a more genuine smile. “Since Taekwoon is still sleeping, let’s see if we can’t get my brother to eat,” she encouraged, shifting close once more to take Hyunseong’s hand in hers.

“Good idea,” the younger rider smiled with a nod as he armed himself with the bowl and spoon in turn.

Between the two of them, taking care of Hyunseong wasn’t too hard. He was complacent enough to go to bed early too, right after eating. Making sure Taekwoon had something on his stomach was a bit more of a challenge. He wouldn’t wake up but the pair took turns spooning broth carefully into him just to make sure he had something.

It was an interesting first day to be sure and sleep came easy for most that night. But lines had been drawn and there were very obvious divides in their group. Chaerin and Jungkook stayed inside with the injured. Taeyeon, Jinyoung, and Wooyoung stayed by the fire, and Insoo slept with his dragon right next to Tiamat’s Shrine.

The following day, Insoo followed through on his promise to send riders to any nearby settlements. Jinyoung, Wooyoung, and Taeyeon were volunteered to go in different directions with some of the recovered dragons. Each headed for a known major city: Jinyoung went north towards Vicily; Wooyoung went east towards Angor; and Taeyeon headed close to Dragon’s Rest, the Bondsland equivalent of Miremaw. Jungkook and Chaerin were instructed to stay close and keep checking in our Hyunseong and Taekwoon while Insoo moved to coordinate with the remaining dragons.

It was another day of uncertainty and not so good news, peppered by the occasional tremor and irregular updates from the dragons about upheavals in Trance. One sort of bright spot was that Taekwoon did wake up but he was in no condition to hear anything Chaerin had to say to him. His first reaction was to immediately be sick and purge his stomach of anything in it. Then he froze and stared at the spot directly in front of him while he stopped breathing, making Chaerin and Jungkook panic for a moment. When he did breathe again, it was with a sudden gasping breath followed by a sharp cry as he grabbed at his chest and fell over onto his side, curling up into as tight a ball as he could. To say it was jarring would be putting it mildly…

They took turns watching over him and staying by his side until Gain eventually took over. Finally rested and recovered enough to participate again, she had them bring Taekwoon out so she could keep him in the circle of her arms with her chest gently pressing on him like a pseudo dragon pile. They did try to bring him and Jongup together briefly but the experience only made Taekwoon howl wordlessly as he turned away, further depressing the blue.

Even Gain didn’t know what to make of it. She told Gunwoo what she thought, who relayed the information to Insoo, who conveyed the message to Chaerin and Jungkook. “Since they had a reverse bond, she thinks he’s missing a much larger part of himself than normal. Both his bond to Jonghyun and his inner dragon seem to be gone. He can’t feel what he _does_ have – at least a minor bond with Jongup – because the missing piece is so big. He can’t or won’t listen to anything we’re saying, and she can’t get him to go into Trance either. He’s resisting it with every part of him, so she’s just trying to comfort him as best she can until she can talk to him or he can come to his senses.”

“Poor Taekwoon,” Jungkook murmured with a glance between the gold dragon cradling the rider and Tiamat’s Shrine where Hyunseong was. “I thought Hyunseong had it bad.”

“He does,” Chaerin reminded him with a heavy sigh. “They’re just different kinds of hurts,” she explained with a wrinkled nose.

It was good that Taekwoon had woken up but that was all they could say for the time being. And that spot of mildly good news was diminished severely when the riders returned from their ventures to the nearby cities over the course of a couple days. All three had similar reports: the cities were there… technically… but most of the people were gone. Oh, there were survivors but none that were willing to talk to anyone with a dragon. So… four days after the war of the gods had started, they were no better off than they’d been originally.

Mostly anyway. Their numbers had grown to over thirty for dragons which was a plus, the majority of which had left riders back in Bahamut’s Aerie. But it was something at least. Only seven couldn’t fly well on their own, or at all, and would need assistance in traveling any distance in the future. Given the situation, it was obvious that neither Chaerin nor Insoo knew what to do. No one did. But on the fifth day…

Taekwoon coughed, a dry and raspy sound, and clutched at his chest with his right hand while he sat up from under Gain’s body. It still hurt, ached like a yawning hole had appeared where his heart should be, but he still breathed, even if it was in gasping painful breaths. He felt the gold’s questioning rumble vibrate through her chest but he ignored it and pushed away, blinking hard. Every breath was a struggle and he felt as weak as a dragonling as he stumbled free, using his right hand to stabilize himself before pain surged again and he fell to his knees, clutching at his chest once more.

“Taekwoon!”

He knew that voice. Why did he know that voice? Peering through one opened eye, he saw Insoo hurrying over to him. Immediately, he shook his head and pointed with his free hand as he panted hard. “Look!” he nearly choked, trying to see for himself.

Insoo froze, staring at his wing mate hard before he turned to see what he was pointing at. His surprised gasp was echoed by the others in the group as they all sighted on a strange moving line in the distance. “Water wall!” the Wing Leader exhaled, hand rising to cover his mouth in horror as a massive wave crashed over the southern part of the continent.

The water didn’t reach them, or even anywhere near them, but the fact they could see it meant it had washed over the majority of the continent. It meant that Calinth would likely have been wiped out and most of the villages between there and the capitol – Landymar would have been as well. What about on Kinshire…?

“By the Heavens,” Chaerin exclaimed as she stopped near Insoo, her hand hovering just below her mouth.

Taekwoon barely saw her. It was hard enough to breathe much less focus on anything else. Only… he’d felt _something_ just before the water wall had made an appearance. A jolt of something warm and familiar in the place where he knew his heart was supposed to be. But now it was gone and the place was cold and hurting. He grimaced around clenched teeth and sucked air in around the barrier, half wishing he were dead too. It had to be his fault Jonghyun was gone. His dragon wouldn’t have done something so stupid as to challenge Bahamut if it wasn’t for him, right?

But then he heard a questing whimper nearby and turned to look, to see where the sound was coming from. Jongup. His actual heart convulsed when he saw the blue, constricting with guilt and unworthiness. Hurting, he cried out again and fell to the ground, bracing himself with his left arm.

“Wait!” he heard as someone kept others at bay, leaving him adrift in his pain.

The crooning whimpering sound got louder and he felt a nose push under him, ramming into his stomach where he couldn’t ignore it. Reflexively, he grabbed on, holding tight as it lifted him to his feet. When he finally opened his eyes to see, he met amber eyes in dark blue skin peering back at him.

_See me!_ a desperate voice pleaded as dragon eyes bore into him. _I am yours and you are mine!_

 _No!_ he denied, trying to flinch away but only succeeding in lowering his gaze. _It’s my fault he’s dead. My fault they’re gone…_

 _No! Not dead…! Not gone…!_ Jongup howled, nudging his nose harder against Taekwoon’s belly so that he couldn’t look away.

The pain in his heart was very real so he knew that Jonghyun was gone, but… _It hurts,_ he admitted with teary eyes as he placed his left hand on Jongup’s snout.

_Then share pain with me!_ the blue commanded, tilting his head so they were nearly eye to eye. _Rider. I am yours, and you are mine,_ he echoed the words Jonghyun had said to him, that he had said to Jonghyun.

With the reminder, the thin weak bond he did have with Jongup sang. It vibrated through his being and resonated enough to outshine the pain in his heart. At least for a moment. Taekwoon felt it, grabbed for it with both hands, and sobbed. _I am yours and you are mine,_ he wailed, hugging tight to Jongup’s head as he tried to hold hard enough to wash away the pain that still pounded in his chest.

_Mate still here,_ Jongup crooned, his claw moving heavily to slap against his own chest. _And here,_ he added, carefully moving his hand to place against Taekwoon’s body.

_I felt him, Jongup,_ Taekwoon gasped with his face buried against the blue’s. _Before the water wall. Something…_ he choked, coughing against the blue skin. _I know he’s gone, but I know there was something, I swear!_ he stated firmly, the ache in his spirit seemingly permanent, but he knew what he’d felt.

_Not gone,_ Jongup shook his head as he carefully grabbed Taekwoon in both claws and hugged him close. _But no leave me again,_ he begged, large form hunched over his rider’s pitifully, wings and tail moving close as if to block off any escape.

_Uppie…_ Taekwoon exhaled, bitter self-recrimination gnawing at him. Maybe it was his fault that Jonghyun was dead, that Jinki had been taken by Bahamut, but Jongup clearly didn’t blame him. And he’d deserted him… _I’m sorry,_ he cried, hugging with his left arm as he clenched his chest with his right. It didn’t lessen the hole left by Jonghyun – that was still as large and aching as ever, but it felt like there was a rope in it now. Something to hold onto to make it not so bad, not so empty.

_Together,_ Jongup swallowed, his chest rising and falling with each large breath.

 _Together,_ Taekwoon echoed, feeling for just a moment as if fingers threaded through his, holding tight. For the time being, it was enough. Oh so slowly, Jongup lowered him to the ground and let him stand on his own, staying close enough that the dragon was in constant range if he needed. Taekwoon finally opened his eyes and looked around the area. His bottom jaw trembled as he observed his surroundings.

Jongup was on his right side now so he placed his right hand on the dragon’s shoulder but his heart still ached and his left came to grip at his chest. Teeth bared and breathing hard, he saw his wing leader and wing mates nearby. Beyond them were several dragons he recognized, the realization hitting him like a bolt of lightning. Looking down, he clenched his left hand as if he was grabbing hold of his pain and dropped his fist to his side. It still hurt and he couldn’t completely control his breathing, but he looked at his wing mates and gasped, “Sorry I worried you.”

“Taekwoon.” It was just his name. Nothing major, but it made him look over to see Chaerin standing beside him, her face a mask of understanding pain and her hands held hesitantly in front of her.

He knew what he should do, but as he looked down at his left hand, fist balled tightly and hovering next to his side as if it was chained there, he knew he couldn’t. His mouth worked like he wanted to cry and his arm trembled until… he saw an arm brushing past his and sliding around his waist. His fist partially opened of its own accord and he looked up to see Chaerin stepping close to hug him around the waist, her head resting on his shoulder without looking at him.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” she murmured just loud enough for him to hear.

He didn’t know if he was glad or okay, but her words were enough to undo any control he had. As his left hand wrapped around her reflexively and he held her close, he couldn’t stop the tears that just started.


	62. The Unexpected and Unexplainable

The horror of the appearance of the water wall paired with Taekwoon’s seeming recovery left all the riders in a strange place. Insoo didn’t give them much time to think about either as well. While leaving Taekwoon and Hyunseong in the care of Chaerin and Jungkook, he urged the rest to start getting ready to fly. With the state of their home now in serious doubt, and the rest of the continent for that matter, there was little reason to keep staying here.

_Do you know what happened?_ he asked Gunwoo as he watched to make sure the riders were doing as he asked before he started his own work.

Gunwoo was silent for a moment, obviously speaking with the other dragons nearby. Then he shook his head but offered, _We don’t know but it was probably Tiamat and Bahamut._

 _I figured as much,_ the wing leader exhaled, wrinkling his nose in distaste. _How are the dragons?_ Pausing in his work, he looked out over the creatures nearby and took another breath. They were trying to help by staying out of the way as much as possible and worrying over the ones that would have trouble flying.

_Most are ready to fly. We will need to help seven though,_ he admitted, the heavy weight of sadness brimming over in his words.

_Can we use the materials from when we arrived? Improvise carrying slings?_ Insoo suggested, glancing at one of the nearby sacks that had been folded up for storage. Thinking out loud, he added, _If we cut the sack open and secure the ends with the rope, a dragon like you could use it to carry or at least assist a weaker one with flying. Right?_

Gunwoo looked at the pile thoughtfully and tilted his head. He moved over and carefully picked up the material in his claws, testing the strength with a slight narrowing of his eyes. _Maybe,_ he eventually agreed with a look towards Hero and Gain, both of whom were nearby. They seemed to start a brief exchange as Gunwoo lifted the material in his claws.

With that possibility in motion, Insoo turned his attention to Jongup and Taekwoon with a pang of guilt and discomfit he couldn’t quite shake. Chaerin kept coming back to check on him but neither the rider nor his dragon had moved yet. The blue was content to stay curled around him, maintaining constant contact. As for Taekwoon, he just seemed out of it. Dazed. He was awake and aware, which was a blessing of sorts, but there was no emotion on his face. Maybe he was talking to Jongup…?

Whatever the case might have been, it was something that Insoo could fix immediately so there was little point in worrying about it just then. There were larger concerns to deal with and his own feelings of uncertainty wouldn’t help the rider either. As it was, the group spent the majority of the afternoon preparing to get moving and making sure the dragons would be alright. Nor were the dragons the only concern. He could still feel plenty of tension coming from his wing mates but at least it was being directed at him instead of Taekwoon this time. And as long as they were still willing to follow him, it would be alright for now.

By evening, they were as ready as they were going to be, but flying in the dark wasn’t a good idea under the best of times so everyone agreed they should leave at first light. More thin soup was their evening meal. Jinyoung had been thinking ahead when he’d told them not to use their travel rations for now. They were getting stale of course, but they kept for a good amount of time without going bad. And Insoo knew the dragons would be gorging tonight in preparation for the journey. There was no telling if they’d find much food on the way, especially given what had happened…

When everyone was winding down, Insoo made his final rounds. Now that their impetus to get ready was gone, he could tell that the riders’ resentment of him had started to shift towards very real worry and fear. He felt it too and tried to offer at least some words of praise and hope.

“You did well today.”

“We’ll have a better idea of how things look tomorrow.”

“Thank you for your hard work.”

The words felt hollow as he spoke them though. They were only words after all. It wasn’t like he could _actually_ help them. Any of them… He very much felt like a fraud. Who was he to lead them in a situation like this? Gunwoo nudged at him intentionally and Insoo took a quick breath to stamp down the feelings. _Sorry,_ he apologized, swallowing hard. _I’m just not sure I know what I’m doing,_ he admitted after a brief pause.

Gunwoo gave the impression of shrugging. _Take it day by day. No one has all the answers. You can only do what you can do._

 _Right,_ Insoo sighed, rubbing at his arm reflexively. _How are the dragons?_

 _As ready as we can be,_ the bronze promised with a sage nod. _But we are troubled…_ he admitted, the words soft and hesitant.

_Oh?_ Insoo asked, turning to look at his dragon in the dim light.

_Trance is strange,_ Gunwoo explained, shaking his head. _Too calm. We think something has happened to one of the gods._

 _Happened?_ the wing leader prompted for clarification.

_Not dead. We would know, but we think the fighting has stopped. We can’t feel the tension we did before,_ he murmured, looking at the other dragons nearby as if they could help him with answers.

Insoo grabbed his chin to think before he responded. If they’d stopped fighting, then one of several things could have happened. They could have ended in a draw of sorts and agreed to stop. That was probably the best possible outcome but also the least likely. One could have successfully fled. Possible but not probable. Or… one actually became the victor in their fight. _What happens if one of them wins?_ he asked carefully, not sure he wanted to know the answer.

Gunwoo’s reluctance to respond was all the reason he needed to know it probably wasn’t good. _We aren’t sure,_ the bronze shrugged apologetically. _But if one does win, they will probably try to continue what they intended originally._

Yeah… that was definitely not good. Insoo grimaced as he considered the two dragons. Tiamat had wanted to elevate her first children back to primacy and she’d had no qualms about punishing the humans in her path, but Bahamut… If he’d understood correctly from Chaerin, that god wanted to wipe the slate clean and start over. He shuddered involuntarily at the thought. _Can’t believe I’m saying this but if I had to choose an evil, I’d prefer it if Tiamat won…_

His dragon didn’t verbally answer but the sentiment was the same. _It’s quiet now so the god may be resting. If they wake, we may feel a change soon._

 _Just let me know if something_ does _happen,_ Insoo urged, drawing close to rest his hand on Gunwoo’s shoulder. _There’s not much we can do but I’d still like to know._

 _Understood,_ Gunwoo nodded, bumping his head against his rider’s body reassuringly.

Morning came early for everyone. The dragons roused slowly from their food induced torpor as the humans ate in relative silence, finally digging into the travel rations once again. When they were finished, they moved among the four weakest dragons and secured the modified harnesses so that four of the largest tier could get ready to carry them. Three more hunkered close to their respective carriers, mostly smaller size dragons that wouldn’t be as difficult to carry manually.

Once everything was checked and double checked, Insoo gave the order to mount up. Everyone got on their original dragons except for Hyunseong, who rode with Chaerin, and Taekwoon, who now rode his blue. Today, his continued silence was not unusual. All of the riders and dragons were subdued, focusing largely on the journey ahead and what might lay at the end of it.

With Insoo in the lead, his wing mates followed easily enough, but they lingered in the air as they waited for the rest of the dragons to join them. Carriers were understandably slow to rise, but once airborne, they were as capable as most. The pace Insoo set was slower than usual but no one complained. It gave the dragons a chance to see how the journey would strain them and, while everyone was eager to see home, they were not so quick to want to confirm its ultimate fate…

Unlike the journey to Tiamat’s Aerie, their return trip was broken into much smaller flights. The carriers needed rest more often and their group stopped more frequently this time around, though the appearance of food was far more lacking. In addition, they did start to spy wild dragons in the distance, but unlike before, these ones did not harass them. They stayed away and watched from a distance, wary but not aggressive. The riders could only hope it was a good sign but when they spoke with their dragons, their companions were not so sure. Trance was still quiet.

That remained true throughout the first day of travel. The area around them was equally subdued, but that was also probably because they could start to see where the water wall had reached on the continent. Huge swaths of debris marked the line of where it had stopped before pulling back. The space beyond was still soaked and the ground was either littered with more detritus or completely torn from the sheer power of the wave.

The scenery and silence remained steady on the second day as well.

But on the third… Chaerin and Hyunseong gasped as Fei bucked beneath them. The dragon struggled to remain in flight as panic, fear, and surprise surged through the bond with her rider. At the same time, Chaerin’s stomach twisted as her body grew strangely tingly. Startled, the pair immediately looked for help and Chaerin’s fear compounded as the other dragons started to fall out of the sky around them. The only ones that seemed even remotely well off were Jongup and two other golds: Gain and Andy.

The four dazedly looked at each other as if speaking through Trance. Chaerin saw them nod in tandem, felt Fei take a deep breath, and then jerked as all four screamed at the dragons around them. She didn’t know what they were saying, but the resonating hum through their bond made her heart pound and a shiver go down her spine. It felt like a rallying cry, like hope…

Her hands tightened on the straps holding her to Fei and she felt Hyunseong’s arms grip her waist tighter as they watched in breathless anticipation. One by one, the plummeting dragons shook their heads and started to come out of their fall, wings snapping open and beating furiously. Defiant cries rose up in a growing cacophony of sound that made the very air vibrate with outrage. Chaerin was equally happy the tingling sensation in her body seemed to be disappearing at the same time.

“What happened?” Hyunseong whispered in her ear as most of the dragons rose back up and started circling in the air. Their angry agitation was obvious in the way they swung their heads from side to side as if looking for a target, claws mostly crooked and ready.

“I don’t know,” Chaerin admitted around a hard swallow. Glancing down, she noticed that not all of the dragons had managed to get back up. Three were on the ruined ground, all the signs of an uncontrolled landing evident, though it could have been the effects of the water wall as well. “Oh shards,” she grimaced, pointing reflexively.

Almost immediately, Fei started to dive. Nor was she the only one. Even with one of the wounded under her, Gain was just ahead. Their initiative started a wave of dragons heading down, all landing uncertainly on the ground around their fallen members. They were alive, but it wasn’t clear how injured they were yet. No one needed to be told to dismount. All the riders did so instinctively as they gathered together, minus one. Taekwoon had stayed with his dragon. He was listening but it almost looked as if he couldn’t or wouldn’t leave his dragon’s side.

Insoo took note but didn’t say anything as he addressed his riders. “Is everyone alright?” They gave shaky replies but none of them were hurt. They were just confused and scared.

“What happened?” Chaerin asked, unable to get anything directly from her dragon.

Their Wing Leader grimaced and he frowned as if listening to something. Gunwoo was probably talking to him but it was either a lot of information or difficult to understand. The other riders seemed to be dealing with something similar if their wincing expressions were anything to go by. Chaerin grabbed Hyunseong’s hand and gave him a reassuring squeeze. It hurt that they couldn’t speak with their dragons, and it was worse that they couldn’t understand what was going on just yet.

Finally though, Insoo waved his hands to get their attention and started speaking. “The dragons think Bahamut woke up. Or at least made a move,” he explained uncertainly, quite obviously not sure what that meant.

“But what happened though? It was like the first time when Bahamut and Tiamat fought,” Jinyoung spoke quickly, his hands moving in front of him like he was trying to conjure an answer.

“And why weren’t they affected?” Wooyoung added, his finger drifting between Chaerin and Taekwoon, though his eyes glanced to the nearby golds as well.

“Again, Bahamut,” Insoo stated firmly as he used his hands to motion for them to stop. “We’re not sure _what_ he did but obviously it affected most of our dragons. Woo, and Gain,” he added with a motion towards the gold, “think some might be different because their bond is weak or nonexistent. At least when it comes to Bahamut’s blood.”

Chaerin glanced down at her hands as she remembered what she’d felt when the dragons fell. She hadn’t really felt it then but she recalled what happened when Bahamut had first roared. They’d fallen out of the sky at that time, even though they didn’t have a bond with dragon’s blood. But they had been quite close to Bahamut though… “What about the wilds?!” she gasped, looking up suddenly. The last time the dragon god had roared, they’d gone crazy.

As one, the other riders looked up too, crouching into defensive postures. There were no wilds directly above them but they could see some figures in the distance. It was too hard to tell if they were heading this way or not. Had they fallen as well? Or were they unaffected by the cry that had disabled the dragons in the Trance space?

“Wooyoung. Jinyoung. Get a quick perimeter flight going,” Insoo instructed with a nod towards their red and copper. “We’ll keep in touch through our dragons,” he promised, meeting both their gazes.

“Sir!” the two chirped in response, straightening up with a breath before they dashed over to their dragons and took to the skies.

When they were gone, Taeyeon stepped just a bit closer, her brow furrowed in confusion. “Soo, I get her,” she murmured, pointing at Chaerin as she licked her bottom lip. “But what about Taekwoon? He went through Symbiosis like the rest of us,” she added, head tilting uncertainly.

Insoo grimaced and he exhaled as he shook his head. “He did, but it’s hard to feel anything else when all you have is pain.”

Taeyeon’s gaze drifted to the other rider and then she looked down with a visible flinch when he met her eyes. “Sorry,” she murmured, taking a quiet step back.

“It’s alright,” Insoo assured her with a quick wave. But when he looked around, his face took on a tense worried expression again. “Okay. The dragons are all pretty shook up still so we’re gonna settle here for now and assess the damage. Take a break for the moment. We’ll figure out what to do after.” Insoo waved them off and then immediately moved closer to the dragons to see for himself what their situation was.

Chaerin stood still for a few breaths before Jungkook surprised her. “Are you guys alright?” the other rider asked, looking between her and her brother with a worried expression. “You look a little pale,” he admitted, reaching one hand up to feel her forehead.

“I’m okay,” Chaerin urged with a reactive flinch, forcing a laugh when her response felt a bit strong. “Just surprised, right Seongie?” she asked, glancing up at the taller man beside her.

“Right…” he agreed distractedly, his attention still lingering on Taekwoon and Jongup.

“Thanks,” Chaerin smiled at Jungkook while she reached over to rub Hyunseong’s arm supportively. “Are you okay?” she asked, nodding at him while she fought the impulse to go check on Taekwoon herself.

“Same as you,” he promised with a stronger smile than she could muster. “But definitely worried about what it all means,” he admitted, his brave front slipping as he looked back at V milling with the other dragons nervously. None of them could seem to stay very still and their heads kept swinging around as if searching for an enemy they knew was there but couldn’t see.

“Why don’t you go and try to calm him down a bit,” Chaerin encouraged with a nod towards the agitated red.

“Yeah. I probably should,” he agreed with a slight worried frown. “I’ll be right back,” he promised, jogging over to check in with his dragon again.

She watched as V stilled when his rider approached. Some of the tension in his body left immediately when they were back in physical contact. “Seongie, stay with Fei, alright?” she urged, gently pushing her brother towards the gold.

“Huh?” he blinked in surprise but didn’t argue when the gold swung her head close to nose at him in a familiar, welcoming gesture. “Sure,” he mumbled, reaching out to hold Fei’s head in a loose hug.

Her brother taken care, Chaerin took a breath and set her sights on Taekwoon. She didn’t like that he was so withdrawn. It made sense, given what had happened, but it bothered her. Gathering her courage, she wandered close and called out, “Taekwoon.” He lifted his head at the sound of his name and glanced in her direction but didn’t actually look at her. “You okay?” she asked, leaning over to try and get a better look at his face.

“I’m fine,” he answered in a flat and emotionless voice.

Chaerin quietly scoffed at the response, recognizing the easy lie. “How’s Jongup?” she tried instead, taking another step closer before wincing when his eyes shifted to meet hers.

“Fine,” he repeated with a long stare before giving a slow blink and looking away again.

It was a short but chilling glance and it made her shiver. Even though his dragon half was gone, he came off as very draconic just then. No glowing eyes but he might as well have been a wild for all the emotion that had been there… “Okay,” she hummed, bringing her hands close to clasp them together in front of her. “Just checking.” She didn’t know what else to say or try so Chaerin backed away and returned to Fei’s side until something changed.

When Insoo called them all together again, she was sure that not more than a mark had passed, but it felt longer. The sun had barely changed its position in the sky and the energy in the group had remained largely the same: agitated and uncertain. “It’s not what I want to do but we’re gonna stay here for the night. You might have heard that the dragons want a chance to figure out what’s going on without the risk of falling from the sky,” he exhaled with a grimace. “We’ll get the wounded out of their carrying straps and figure out how to handle things on the morrow,” he explained with a firm nod. “Dismissed.” His wave and tone were half-hearted, like he was at a loss and didn’t know what else to do.

Jinyoung went to his side immediately but the other riders drifted in different directions. Well, Taekwoon stayed where he was, but Jungkook came back to Chaerin and Hyunseong while Taeyeon wandered over to talk with Wooyoung. With the exception of Fei and Jongup, the other dragons gathered together in a large band, all facing each other. After a moment, Hero drew close to Fei, stationing himself on her other side, while Gain drifted to Jongup’s, and they all resumed their focus on the group at large.

Chaerin wished she could join the conversation. At least without going into Trance anyway. It was a scary thought right now. The dragon gods were incredibly intimidating in person, but they had a much stronger effect in the Trance space. But as the dragons conversed, Chaerin started to get surprisingly sleepy and she winced when a yawn started to take over.

Jungkook noticed again and placed a hand on her shoulder. “You alright?”

“Yeah,” she nodded while rubbing at the bridge of her nose. “Just tired all of a sudden,” she laughed once, not sure why.

“You should probably take a nap then,” he shrugged with a nod at her dragon’s side. “We’ve got time and I can wake you if anything comes up,” he grinned, the expression just a little brighter than it probably deserved to be.

“Fine, fine,” she waved with a light chuckle. “Just for a little bit.” While she settled against Fei’s warm body, she watched Jungkook turn his attention to Hyunseong as he tried to get the other man to talk at least a little bit. For whatever reason, it made her happy that the other rider was trying to help her brother. Goodness knew she wasn’t sure what to do. Content to leave him in the rider’s care, she closed her eyes and let her body relax.

Yet, as soon as she felt herself drifting off, she became aware of a strange tingling sensation setting in again. Reflexively, she tried to fight it and move back into wakefulness, but something stopped her. Maybe it was sheer curiosity or something else entirely, but she stilled and let herself fall into unconsciousness.

Her dreams… were strange. At least it felt like a dream. The space she found herself in was mostly dark. Movement flickered at the edge of her vision, like watching clouds shift and form in the distance, but there was little else anywhere that she could see. Yet, the air felt strange. Heavy. Almost like dense fog. Her ears itched and the skin on the back of her neck crawled.

A faint light appeared just under her vision. When she looked down, Chaerin gasped as she saw it was coming from her. She flinched again when she realized she was completely unclothed and that was why she could see _all_ the silver lines, like luminous veins, extending over her body. “What the…?” she trailed off, blinking in confusion while she turned her hands over to inspect both sides.

That strange tingling sensation started up again and she could feel it coming from the lines this time. Staring, Chaerin ran her fingertips down the silver thread of her left forearm and shivered when the feeling intensified, almost painful in its strength. “Now I’m really confused,” she whispered, looking around once more, like if she searched hard enough, _something_ would appear.

_Where?_

Chaerin jumped in surprise and froze as the single word faintly pierced the darkness. “Hello?” she called softly, body bent over in a partial crouch, ready to jump away if she needed to.

_Child… blood._

“Who’s there?” Chaerin asked as a tendril of fear took root in her gut. Her hands drew close in an instinctive protective motion.

_… you._

Chaerin’s body locked as she felt something focus on her. Something large and powerful… She looked to her left when the space seemed to shift and swell like something was coming. A shadow rose up, formless but overwhelming in size and presence. Chaerin screamed and desperately tried to flee as she clenched her eyes tight.

With a jerky gasp, she opened her eyes to the light of day and a group of dragons still gathered nearby. Immediately to her right, Jungkook and Hyunseong looked down at her in surprised concern. “What’s wrong, Rin?” Hyunseong asked as he squatted beside her while Jungkook followed his example.

Chaerin took a breath and shook her head as she tried to shake the fear that last moment had conjured in her. “Just a bad dream I think,” she exhaled slowly, attempting to force herself to calm down.

“What kind of bad dream?” Jungkook asked, placing his hand on her shin reassuringly.

“I’m not sure,” she admitted as she pressed the back of her hand against her mouth.

“Okay,” Jungkook nodded with a shrug. “Maybe no sleep for you right now,” he laughed once with a glance at Hyunseong. “Come on then.” He reached down to help her up so she wouldn’t be tempted to close her eyes again. “Let’s go talk to Insoo and see if that might distract you, yeah?” His tone was almost playful, intentionally cajoling her to try and lighten the mood.

“Yeah,” she nodded in slow agreement, starting to move with them. But she felt someone watching her again and her gaze drifted over to meet Taekwoon’s eyes. It was unsettling to say the least, especially because his dragon was mirroring him. There was no curiosity or anger or suspicion. It was just pure, unbridled focus. Like they knew something was there but they couldn’t see it.

“Chaerin?” Jungkook asked when he noticed her attention shift.

“Huh?” she gasped, jerking to look over at him instead, breaking the connection she’d had with Taekwoon. She noticed Jungkook and her brother shift just a touch as if to hide her from view and when she looked back at the other dragonrider, both he and his dragon turned away, the focus of their attention lost.

“What was that?” Hyunseong asked, leaning close.

“Nothing,” Chaerin shook her head and gave them both a nudge to get moving again. “It was nothing,” she repeated as if she could make herself believe it. With everything else that had happened, she was not ready for this level of strange right now.


	63. Dragon's Blood

Taekwoon didn’t know how he was supposed to be in the wake of Jinki and Jonghyun’s passing. No matter how many times Jongup told him otherwise, he couldn’t just ignore what he felt – or rather _didn’t_ feel. The feel of his dragon, his Jonghyun, was _gone_. And he’d physically _lost_ his other half. The pain of it didn’t just go away either, even after waking or sharing it with Jongup. It just _sat_ there like a dagger in his chest hurting with every breath.

But like any pain, he started to get used to it. Oh, he _always_ felt it, but it didn’t take up so much of his attention. Unfortunately, when his focus shifted, it freed his mind up for _other_ thoughts. Memories. Visions and relapses of those moments. They were what he’d seen when he first came back to consciousness after all and now they haunted him whenever he closed his eyes.

The horror of watching Jinki disappear as Bahamut took his place. The sensation of Jonghyun being ripped out from under him. The drowning pain of feeling the exact moment he’d lost him when the aching hole had appeared in his chest.

Or they used to anyway. Jongup’s constant presence had done a lot to help keep such dark things at bay. It worked well when they were together, but it was best when he spent time in Trance. When he slept, it was in the circle of Jongup’s arms in the Trance space and in the physical space. So that was where Taekwoon stayed most of the time. So long as he was with or on Jongup, he could safely stay in that space without having to worry about his physical form. He knew his dragon would protect him without fail. Something about dragons allowed them to split their attention between Trance and the physical world.

_Can hear outside and stay here,_ Jongup had promised the first night as he pulled Taekwoon closer and curled around him in Trance.

And as long as they were touching, it was almost _easy_ to enter Trance with the blue. Jongup warned him if he needed to pay attention so he could shift to his physical form long enough to do what he needed to do and then return as he desired. But it wasn’t _just_ that it hurt less in the Trance space.

_Don’t know,_ Jongup shrugged when Taekwoon asked him about it, turning his head and quickly dropping the topic as if there might have been something else but he didn’t want to say.

Taekwoon didn’t press him either. He just gave a sad smile and leaned his head against the dragon’s chest once more. If Jongup was doing something to help him, he wasn’t going to complain. Especially since he liked spending time here. Not just in his dragon’s company, which the blue also seemed to enjoy, but there was something about this space… The fact that Bahamut and Tiamat’s interactions made it shift and change regularly didn’t bother him so long as he could feel flickers of… something.

Sitting in the comforting embrace of his dragon, feeling the perpetually aching beat of his heart as time trickled by, Taekwoon was also listening for something. Searching. Waiting for another echo of what he was certain he’d felt just before the water wall appeared. “I don’t know what it was, but it felt like…” he trailed off, almost afraid to say his name.

_Mate?_ Jongup asked carefully, neck curved so he could look at his rider head on.

Taekwoon nodded and tapped his fingers over his chest where his heart was. “It woke me up,” he admitted, eyes narrowed in a thoughtful frown. “The feeling… a warning?”

_Do you feel now?_ the blue asked hopefully, his eyes darting towards the distance once before coming back as he waited for the answer.

This time, Taekwoon shook his head slowly. “Nothing,” he whispered, fingers curling lightly against his chest.

_Oh,_ was the sad acceptance as Jongup straightened his neck to lie down, his head facing the endless expanse of Trance. It was much like how Taekwoon felt: desperately hopeful but inevitably sad and let down. But even so, existing in this space was much easier than trying to rejoin a world of life - of people and dragons and daily happenings - that was missing the most important parts. Trance was simple and relatively easy to stay isolated.

He’d never asked Jonghyun about it before, but Jongup explained when he was worried about other dragons – especially Gain; he just wasn’t ready to face her right now – coming to find him. _My space. My… room,_ the blue nodded, satisfied with that description. _I make room for us. Can let other dragons in if want. Can go to big space if want. Happy here,_ he practically grinned, curling his neck around Taekwoon in a dragon hug.

“Good to know,” he hummed, circling his arms around Jongup’s neck as a tentative thought tickled the back of his mind.

And so they spent a lot of time isolated in Trance, feeling the ebb and flow of the space as the dragon gods interacted. Granted, even with their continued exposure, he hadn’t expected the damning cry that tore through the space and broke against him like water on a boulder. It startled him more than anything, breaking into their isolation like thunder.

Hearing the sound, it only conjured up rage and the desire for vengeance that ignored whatever the message was supposed to be. Jongup struggled briefly but since they were bound, Taekwoon’s emotions bled into him as well, holding the dragon fast. And for just a breath, carried on the wave of power that Bahamut sent, Taekwoon thought he felt the ghost of his inner dragon and he choked on the pang in his chest, losing his grip on Trance.

Dazed and confused by the experience, he drifted along on Jongup’s back as they gathered themselves after the seeming attack. When it was obvious his wing mates didn’t need him and it was safe to do so, he returned to Trance to search for what he’d lost. Jongup nudged him to come out again as needed to listen to his wing mates – Chaerin kept checking on him in particular. Taekwoon recognized they deserved more attention than he was giving them, but he didn’t have the energy to care just yet. Especially when most were content with leaving him well enough alone.

But it was because he was in Trance space, listening and searching, that he felt when another familiar presence joined him close by. Oh, they knew the dragons had gathered and were talking together – Jongup had declined the invitation to join in. But this was different. With Jongup’s help, he recognized the newcomer as Chaerin, her energy still discernable in his human form. Only, it wasn’t just her for long. Her energy _shifted._ Became stronger as something _else_ drew near. That was also when he heard it calling.

_Where?_

Both Taekwoon and Jongup’s heads swung in the direction of the voice and listened, seeing a strange silver glow in the distance. It wasn’t so much that he saw the glow appear as it was more like a veil had been lifted to allow him to see it.

_Child of my blood._

He knew that voice. Had been the focus of its attention once before. Taekwoon’s skin itched and his fingers crooked into claws. He started running in its direction until Jongup reached out and stopped him with one large claw. Angrily, he glanced at his dragon only to see the same thing he was feeling in the blue: fangs bared and wings mantled but ultimately holding his ground.

_Found you._

They growled in response to Chaerin’s scream and then jerked as she suddenly disappeared. Their heads darted quickly from side to side as they briefly searched from a distance. She was gone, along with the glow, but the shadow hadn’t changed. It stayed briefly where it was, almost like it didn’t know what to do, and then faded back into the surroundings, disappearing as if it had never been.

“Chaerin,” Taekwoon inhaled, stepping out of Trance to stare at the woman just getting up from where she’d been seated. Jongup joined him in looking, feeling the same thing he did. _That was Tiamat,_ he told his dragon.

_I know,_ was Jongup’s quick reply.

Their focus did not waver when she noticed them staring at her. It was only the concern from Hyunseong and Jungkook that made Taekwoon aware his response was… not normal to say the least. He dropped his gaze and returned to Trance with Jongup.

“The dragons don’t know what to think,” Insoo admitted when Chaerin and the others came over to speak with him. He thought she looked a little pale but Chaerin didn’t say anything to make him think something was wrong. Likewise for Hyunseong and Jungkook. He did glance at Taekwoon, almost largely out of habit, but the rider looked unchanged as well, face turned down and expression blank. Insoo sighed to himself and focused his attention back on the riders before him.

“That’s not entirely correct,” Jinyoung clarified with a sidelong look. When the three looked askance of him, he went on, “They don’t know what’s happening but they are pretty sure what they felt was an attack of sorts.”

Insoo shrugged and nodded in slow agreement. “From Bahamut. Not Tiamat.”

“Was it supposed to just hurt the dragons or actually…” Jungkook trailed off, uncomfortable with the idea.

Chaerin grimaced and she glanced at Gain who seemed to be listening in with half an ear. “Since it was Bahamut, it was probably meant to cause as much damage as possible.” From the look on her face, the words appeared to taste sour… “What about Tiamat?” she asked quietly, looking down.

Jinyoung and Insoo exhaled at the same time, shaking their heads. “She seems to have disappeared. Not dead,” the wing leader cautioned with his hands, “but certainly missing.”

“They think she’s either unconscious or in hiding,” Jinyoung explained with a hiss of breath between his teeth.

“So it’s safe to say Bahamut won their fight?” Jungkook asked with all the energy of a dying man.

“That’s what it looks like,” Insoo sighed, just as enthusiastic about the thought.

As a group, they were silent for a moment longer. But then Hyunseong asked, “What now?”

Insoo chewed his lip for a breath before he looked at Jinyoung. His second gave a shrug with a nod, so he bobbed his head once in mute agreement too. “We go home. Or at least try to,” he murmured, turning to look towards the horizon.

“We don’t know if the water wall hit the Aerie but if nothing else… if there’s really nothing we can do…” he whispered, conflicting emotions of fear and sadness washing over his face.

“Then home is a good place to be,” Wooyoung added in, joining the group with Taeyeon at his side. Both were wearing sad but thoughtful expressions.

“We did promise we’d bring the dragons home if we could,” Taeyeon encouraged with a nod at the gathered dragons nearby.

“That we did,” Insoo smiled, the first real one all day. Strange that the one who was at least mildly mad at him was the one to make him feel at least a little better about everything. “To going home,” he stated with a glance around the riders as he extended his hand, palm down, before them. “Come what may.”

“To going home,” Jinyoung echoed immediately, reaching out to place his hand on top of Insoo’s with an expectant look at the others. Jungkook, Wooyoung, and Taeyeon nodded together and followed suit. Only Chaerin and Hyunseong delayed, sharing an uncertain look for a breath. But even they shrugged and extended their hands together to join the pile.

Like a specter at the corner of his vision though, Insoo couldn’t help but glance at Taekwoon one more time. He honestly couldn’t imagine what he was going through but it still felt wrong… strange for him to be so disconnected. It had only been a few days, but he’d watched Chaerin fail to get him to open up several times and his own efforts hadn’t accomplished anything thus far either. With a look at Gain, he wasn’t even sure the Paramour would have much luck. But… he was his Wing Leader and it was his responsibility to check in with him. Whether either of them really liked it or not.

Just… not today. Their future was likely bleak but in this moment, they’d finally come back together for at least a little while. _Don’t let me back out tomorrow,_ he urged his dragon, holding the smile on his face as he removed his hand from the pile and looked at his wing mates again.

_Jongup is with him,_ the bronze reminded him. _He is withdrawn too, but if there was real trouble, he would let us know._ His words were reassuring but there was a hint, just a hint, of uncertainty there.

Insoo mentally pursed his lips. _Well, still._

 _I will remind you,_ Gunwoo chuckled in amusement, a mental nudge accompanying the statement.

_Thank you,_ he smiled in response, directing his undivided attention to his riders once more.

It was a strange day for Chaerin. The uncertain lingering feelings of losing her father; the almost desperate sense of underlying dread they all carried about what was to come; the bizarre dream she’d had that could have been Trance though that should be impossible; the unsettling look Taekwoon had given her right after that dream; and then the awkward sense of acceptance and camaraderie she’d felt with the other riders. They all added to the tension she carried and made it impossible to relax when they were finally ready to wind down for the evening.

Most of the dragons turned in early to conserve energy and the riders had started to settle in relative proximity to each other. Hyunseong was warming up to Jungkook a bit more, which was good, but Taekwoon was characteristically distant. Physically and mentally. And yet, she was pretty sure she’d felt him watching her more than once today. It only further reinforced the strangeness she was contemplating.

“I really don’t want to sleep tonight,” she admitted in a small voice as she leaned against Fei’s side. The gold dragon took a deep breath, making Chaerin rise and fall with it, and nudged at her with her nose. “I know you’re here,” she smiled, wrapping one arm around Fei’s mouth in a loose hug while she rubbed the smooth forehead with her free hand. “I’m just worried,” she admitted after a long pause.

She felt Fei’s support through their bond and took another breath herself. No one else seemed troubled with the idea of sleep. Insoo was watchful but that was always the case before he finally turned in for the night. And the others seemed engaged in conversation or pleasantly drowsy and ready for bed. It was just… she almost felt childish but she really wanted her dragon to help her check for the monster in the woods before she tried to sleep herself.

Firming her resolve, she took a breath and looked down to meet the golden eyes peering at her. “Can I talk to you?”

Fei’s agreement was immediate, if curious. Chaerin fell easily into Trance, the familiar space mostly calm but still shadowy. “What’s wrong?” her dragon asked in human form, grabbing Chaerin’ hand and holding firm as she looked at the other woman.

Chaerin smiled in response and glanced around quickly before answering. “I’m just a little tense,” she admitted with a relieved sigh when nothing appeared out of the ordinary. Looking at Fei again, she raised one brow and asked, “You don’t sense anything… unusual around, do you?”

Perplexed now, Fei’s brows knitted together and she turned to view the landscape. It almost looked as if she was about to shake her head before she tensed up just a touch and turned to look at her rider. When she did, Chaerin noticed it too, a faint light shining under her clothes. “Rin?” her dragon asked before turning her attention outward like she was following something.

She started shifting to her dragon form right when Chaerin stepped close, hands held against her body in uncertain fear. “It’s back,” she whispered, heart racing in her chest. The sensation of being watched returned swiftly. And so did the shadow.

Back in her dragon form, Fei literally stepped over her rider and flared her wings, head hunkered low to the ground defensively. But then she followed the rise of the black mass in uncertainty and fear, leaning back like she wanted to retreat but stubbornly holding her ground despite the urge. _She is mine,_ Fei stated simply, wings curling in front to hide her rider from immediate view.

Both hissed in surprise as the shadow shifted forward, otherwise paralyzed by fear. But what stepped in front of them was not the massive obsidian skinned dragon. Instead, the shadow condensed into a human form as soon as it passed through a veil of sorts, wearing power like an unseen cloak around her womanly figure. Black eyes with silver pinpricks of light in the center glanced between them. The simple act alarmed Fei further until the female figure in front waved her hand and softly spoke, “Rest now.”

Fei flinched as if she’d been tapped on the head and then slumped over, one wing knocking Chaerin down when she fell. “Fei!” the rider called, scrambling to her feet and collapsing at the gold dragons head before she looked at the newcomer. Fear warred with outrage and curiosity as she tried to position her body in front of her dragon’s head. She had a powerful suspicion about who was standing before her but it made no sense. Why would the dragon god be searching for _her_?

The… woman looked so… human but also so very strange. Her skin was the same color as the dragon god Tiamat, but when the silver light from Chaerin danced across her skin, subtle shades of color shimmered like a hidden rainbow. That was odd enough but once the shock of her appearance and coloration wore off even a little bit, it became obvious her features were not average by any means. In the dim light from her own body, the woman appeared stunningly beautiful, but everything about her was just a little off.

Her curves were too exaggerated, the waist too narrow, chest and hips too wide.

Her legs and arms just a bit too long.

Her eyes too big, face just a little too small, nose too strong.

Her fingers too delicate and sharp with arching nails more akin to claws.

Her hair… it was nearly impossible for Chaerin to wrap her head around the intricate mass of… art that defied all logic. It seemed as if lightning had struck sand, that a spider had woven an immeasurable number of threads together, that a field of flowers with thousands of petals had bloomed in the same space… Chaerin’s eyes and head hurt just from trying to make sense of it all, nearly wiping out whatever fear lingered.

And when the woman spoke, it felt like an entire choir was hidden in her voice. “Human child of my blood.”

Chaerin shivered as the sound washed over her, conjuring goosebumps that nearly hurt from the intensity. “No,” she whispered, shaking her head in confused denial.

Tiamat, for there was no other person this woman could be, pursed her lips, the top part slightly too big and the bottom too thin to be natural. “You are the daughter of the priest and so you are my daughter as well,” she murmured, one thin and one slightly thicker brow furrowing as she pointed at Chaerin. Her unnerving eyes slid to peer over Chaerin’s shoulder and she frowned minutely. “Away,” she murmured, waving her hand again. As she did so, Trance shifted and solidified, becoming static like an actual wall.

“I don’t understand,” Chaerin whispered, hands pressing hard to her dragon’s skin as she looked around in fear.

Tiamat took a long breath and stared at Chaerin, obviously measuring and weighing her. Without a word, she stepped forward to close the distance between them and placed her hand on the rider’s cheek. It was surprisingly warm but it tingled against Chaerin’s skin. Sharp nails traced against her flesh and pulled away, drawing something else from within.

Chaerin gasped for breath when she saw a transparent black dragon’s head emerge, connected to her but now separate, as if overlaid on top of her. It didn’t hurt exactly, but it felt harder to breathe. “What…?” she rasped, one hand pulling away from her gold to reach towards the black.

“There you are,” Tiamat smiled with genuine affection, pearl-like teeth shining against the dark hue of her skin. “You have my blood and the spirit of a dragon in you,” she murmured, still transfixed by the ghostly dragon image, like a mother staring at her newborn for the first time.

“How?” Chaerin blurted, torn between needing to know and outright fear. It would be so easy for Tiamat to hurt her here…

“Back, my dear,” she crooned, guiding the black dragon into Chaerin’s form once more. When the dragon returned, it felt like she could breathe again, but she stopped entirely as Tiamat’s hand rested on top of her head. “I will say two things,” she explained, moving to kneel in front of Chaerin, though she still towered over the human woman. “The first, the priest was over two centuries old.”

She ignored Chaerin’s immediate surprise and moved to further illustrate her statement. With her free hand, Tiamat traced a rune in the air that Chaerin instinctively recognized as ‘Life,’ but not the giving kind… And simultaneously, her obsidian body lit up with the exact array of silver threads that were on Chaerin’s body. Glancing down, she noticed that both illuminations were pulsing like a matching heartbeat, and another shiver ran down her spine.

“The second, you will bring the other human with the spirit of a dragon to me.” When Chaerin frowned in obvious confusion, she added, “He is the man that challenged me before. Your protector.”

“But-”

“Bring him to me,” Tiamat stated again, the words an obvious command and not a request. “You will know where to go,” she instructed, placing her other hand over Chaerin’s heart.

Briefly worried, Chaerin grabbed Tiamat’s wrists and tried to break the contact, but it suddenly felt impossible to move when she did. Her head and chest felt pleasantly warm as she stared into the woman’s black and silver eyes. The rider’s eyelids grew heavy and a wave of drowsiness overtook her.

“Sleep now, child of my blood,” the dragon god whispered, pushing Chaerin back.

As if in a dream, she fell in slow motion. And then kept falling. Down and down and down. Until oblivion embraced her completely.


	64. Why?

Taekwoon did not sleep well. He knew what he’d felt. Tiamat had returned. And she had spoken with Chaerin. But he did not know what their conversation had been about. For a very short time, he thought he’d seen them in Trance space, but he was equally certain the dragon god had set up some kind of barrier around them. And it stayed up long after he felt Tiamat leave... Of course it made for a troubling night of stolen winks and perpetual uncertainty. That also meant his morning was just as full of questions, but now he was even more tired.

_She waking,_ his dragon warned in a gentle voice, startling Taekwoon into full awareness.

The barrier in Trance was still up but when he stepped into the physical world again, he could indeed see that both Chaerin and Fei were rousing from their slumber. With hooded eyes, he watched her movements without blinking. They seemed surprised… subdued… maybe a little skittish as they got up. Notably, they did not look in his direction except for a very quick and furtive glance.

Beyond them, the other dragons and riders were waking and beginning to move around in turn, though Taekwoon only spared them a fragment of his attention. Jongup kept a more watchful eye on the general camp while the rider focused on Chaerin specifically. As he wondered what happened to her, his dragon told him the riders were getting food and the dragons were convening to get ready for the next leg of their flight.

Taekwoon nodded in acknowledgement, but they weren’t his concern. What if Tiamat had done something to possess Chaerin? He knew she’d left but he didn’t know what the dragon gods were capable of. Bahamut had hidden completely in Jinki after all. What was there to say something similar hadn’t happened here? That possibility was bad enough, but the biggest question was why? Other than her connection to the High Priest, it didn’t seem like a good enough reason to catch Tiamat’s undivided attention. The only reason it had happened previously was because they had drawn her attention and then challenged her…

_Wing leader coming,_ Jongup murmured with a light nudge against Taekwoon’s side with his nose. A sudden surge of irritation from Taekwoon surprised them both and his dragon snorted on him with a gust of warm air. _Worried._

 _I know,_ the rider mentally grimaced as he kept his physical expression carefully neutral. While he knew it was Insoo’s responsibility to check on his riders, he was also aware this was more. Even Taekwoon knew he wasn’t acting well. He just didn’t much care when his world had suddenly become darker and more painful without the promise of something better in the future. Still… as Insoo approached, he looked up to meet his wing leader’s eyes.

Insoo stopped abruptly, his face flickering in a quickly controlled spasm of surprise. And maybe some nervousness. But he quickly steeled himself and forced a smile he couldn’t have felt. “Morning,” he called, taking a small step closer while he extended a wooden bowl in Taekwoon’s direction.

Taekwoon grunted in acknowledgement and glanced at the bowl but didn’t reach for it. He didn’t feel hungry. _Rider…_ his dragon chided him with mild disappointment and genuine concern. Apparently his dragon felt he wasn’t eating enough lately.

Stifling a sigh, Taekwoon blinked and tried to make his face move into something less… blank. By Insoo’s twitching brows, it was clear he hadn’t achieved a smile. “Morning,” he murmured back, reaching for the bowl before pulling it close. At least when he was looking at his food, he wasn’t likely to scare Insoo off. “Thanks,” he added when Jongup gave him another mental nudge.

Insoo sighed and squat down in Taekwoon’s peripheral vision. “It’s not the best but it’s better than nothing.” It was an empty platitude meant to fill the silence and they both knew it. “How ya holding up?” he asked eventually, the question soft and hesitant. Taekwoon glanced at him out of the corner of his eyes and then looked back down to take a tasteless bite of food.

He didn’t know what to say. He didn’t _want_ to say anything but Jongup was literally hovering expectantly and Insoo deserved _something_ … He had left him mostly well enough alone until now after all. Taekwoon took a breath and grimaced. “Not… well.”

“Right,” Insoo exhaled in response, obvious embarrassment in his tone. “I just- we are here, you know? You can tal-” he stopped himself short with a frustrated sound. “You can just _be_ with us, Taekwoon.”

There was something about his wing leader’s tone that very nearly made Taekwoon look up. Nearly. But for the first time in days, he did feel something more than sadness and pain and desperation: guilt. It was the tiniest of shards and yet, it cut a fine line somewhere in him. He swallowed. “Not yet.” His voice was a wisp of sound. “But… thanks,” he added, glancing up quickly once before fixing his eyes on his food again. “Oof!” he coughed when Jongup laid his head on Taekwoon’s lap, flooding him with a sense of satisfaction and fleeting contentment.

Insoo huffed a single laugh and brushed his fingers lightly against the blue dragon’s head. “You’ve got a good dragon here,” he praised warmly, attention clearly directed to his wing mate. “Just know that you’re missed and we’ll be waiting for you, alright?” he asked, the question more rhetorical in nature. He didn’t wait for an answer before he got up and wandered off, footsteps a little quicker than necessary.

_Good,_ Jongup approved, shifting his head on his rider’s lap.

The word summoned conflicting feelings. He was glad to feel his dragon’s favor, the positive sensation helping to shore up all the cracks of his currently broken self. But it needled at his guilt and pried at the edges of the cut. Of course he wasn’t alright. Losing anyone he cared about would have been bad enough. But he’d lost his other half, the man who had always supported him and helped guide him in this world, and his dragon, a companion with which he’d literally traded a part of his spirit with. He still felt hollow, like a ghost of himself, no matter how much Jongup tried to fill the empty space. Worse, they would probably think him crazy or imagining things with the latest glimmers of feeling he’d been experiencing.

_Believe you,_ Jongup sighed, his breath warming Taekwoon’s right side.

_Thanks,_ Taekwoon exhaled, rubbing the blue’s head with a slow hand before he set the bowl to the side. His dragon wasn’t happy about it, but truly, he had no appetite. And whatever illusion of hunger he might have had vanished completely when the hair on the back of his neck prickled. He glanced over and saw Chaerin looking at him. She flinched in surprise and looked away, trying to act natural, but it was stiff and forced.

Taekwoon didn’t pull his gaze away so he saw when she glanced back in his direction once more. This time, he watched her face twitch as she obviously tried to decide what to do in that breath. He was mildly surprised when she conjured a weak smile and waved at him. It was not reassuring so he narrowed his eyes, trying to decide if that was Chaerin or something else… His direct scrutiny unnerved her and she looked away, purposefully getting up and changing positions to alter their view of each other.

He was about to say something to his dragon before Jongup preempted him. _I ready,_ he promised, a wary firmness obvious in his tone.

_Good,_ Taekwoon responded in satisfaction. He would not let a repeat of the Bahamut incident happen if he could help it. No matter what.

Of course that was much easier said than done. He didn’t even know what he was looking or waiting for. Last time, he’d had a theory at least, albeit a terrible one. Now, it just seemed like he was the only one aware of something being off and the rest of the dragons and riders continuing like normal. Even Gain, who was normally aware of things most weren’t, appeared lulled into a false sense of complacency.

_Tired. Heart sick,_ Jongup explained without being asked.

_Why?_ Taekwoon couldn’t help but wonder. She’d always seemed untouchable before.

He paused to think for a moment, gathering his thoughts. _Many friends lose. Many friends hurt. Only Paramour for all. Think… know some for long time,_ he murmured, the tone shifting from thoughtful to sad in a heartbeat.

Immediately, he felt anger raise its head as he shoved all the comfort he could through their bond. Anger at Tiamat for her role in their pain. Anger at Bahamut for causing so much pain. Anger at the High Priest for just about everything. And anger at himself for his own helplessness and not being able to see the losses others might have felt too. The hole in him ached and he grimaced with his teeth bared. With his gaze locked on the horizon, he growled, _We will find a way to stop them. We_ will _avenge those we have lost,_ he added, his skin tingling with the ghost of a familiar sensation.

_How?_ Jongup softly keened, anguish reaching for him in that moment.

_I don’t know,_ Taekwoon hissed as he blinked once. Taking a breath, he shifted his focus to Chaerin, glaring daggers at her back as they flew ahead of them. _But I have an idea about where to start._

 _Rider,_ his dragon murmured uncertainly, conflicted by the idea.

It took him a few breaths, but Taekwoon gripped his anger and squashed it down, allowing him to look at Chaerin normally once more. It likely wasn’t her fault about what had happened with Tiamat. Whatever that was. But she probably knew something or suspected something at the very least. _What does Fei say about her rider?_

Jongup twitched uncomfortably beneath him and shook his head. _Maybe worried but no speak to me._

 _Only you or other dragons too?_ He asked for clarification, glancing around the group with a quick look. He noticed Jungkook looking his way with a moderately concerned expression, but he didn’t acknowledge it, focusing instead on his current thought. The anger he had right now was better than the pain and sadness previously. Both were still there, but anger was a familiar – and welcome – companion, never mind it was also far more useful.

_Maybe others too._

 _Hmm,_ he exhaled, face pinched in thought. _Try asking some of the other dragons. Maybe they will know something._

 _You sure?_ Jongup wondered, a little confused.

_Yes,_ Taekwoon answered, his mouth firm as he looked ahead. In front of them, he could just see the sea that separated Bondsland from Kinshire, but they would not make it before dark. He knew they’d stop once more to call it a night and probably camp on the coast again before trying to make the final jump over the waters. That would give him some time to figure out when or how to approach Chaerin at least.

For the rest of the flying time, he felt Jongup sending questing comments among the dragons. By the way the riders paid him no mind, it seemed clear his dragon was avoiding his wing mates for now. The general consensus the blue relayed was that Fei seemed distracted but no one had thought anything was _too_ out of the ordinary, whatever that was during these times. Though Taekwoon had to laugh when Jongup told him he told Gunwoo and shortly after, Fei looked back at them with a very annoyed quirk to her mouth and eyes.

_That did it,_ he commented in dark amusement. The sensation lingered when Chaerin started looking around a couple breaths later. She eventually turned all the way around and saw him watching. Her expression flickered between the annoyance her dragon had shown and uncertainty. After a moment, her face contorted again and she flashed him a frustrated scowl before looking ahead once more.

It was an interesting reaction and Taekwoon didn’t quite know what to think. In his periphery, he saw Jungkook watching him again, though this time Hyunseong was too, the pair riding together in lieu of the latter flying with his sister. Taekwoon ignored them as he became thoughtful again. _What did you tell Gunwoo?_

 _That Fei not talking to me and I sad because not know why,_ was the quick answer.

_True enough,_ he nodded in subdued approval. Leave it to Insoo’s dragon to be a busybody too. _Good job, Uppie,_ he praised, patting the blue hide with a light hand. His dragon preened under the acknowledgment and settled into the last part of their flight before they tried to find a place to set down for the night.

Taekwoon bided his time as they landed and set up camp. He could still feel almost hostile glances from Jungkook and Hyunseong but no one else paid him any attention. Gain did come back to check on Jongup herself – apparently word had gotten around to her – and they talked for a bit. On impulse, Taekwoon reached his hand out towards the gold dragon and then paused when he realized what he was doing. But by then, Gain had seen him move and swung her head around to focus on him directly. He’d avoided her for days, but with her golden eyes pinning him in place, he was frozen and unable to move.

She tilted her head to the side and blinked slowly before she extended her neck and pressed her nose into his palm. Taekwoon inhaled in mild surprise, looking at where they were touching and then back into her gaze. It would have been so easy for her to pull him into Trance just then, but maybe she could tell he didn’t want it. Not right now. No. She just looked at him with orbs that could have been windows to his own. His heart clenched as he saw understanding in her eyes; true acknowledgement of what he’d lost. He swallowed hard when his eyes grew misty and tears drew salty paths down his cheeks.

Abruptly he pulled away and wiped at his cheeks, breaking contact. He didn’t want her understanding. It hurt too much. And right now, he knew he needed to hold onto his anger. At least for a little while longer.

Gain didn’t take offense. He could practically feel her sad acceptance even without going into Trance. She simply sighed, warm breath ghosting over him like a seasonal breeze, and then nuzzled his head oh so carefully.

He stood like a rock, expression stony and focused on the ground. It was a relief when she turned away and spoke with Jongup once more before moving to the other dragons. When she was gone, he took a steadying breath and wiped at his face one more time. Still looking down, he wandered to the back of Jongup and used the base of his tail to lean on as he collected himself. “Paramours,” he grumbled quietly, trying to shore up his inner walls so he could stay focused.

Jongup’s tail curled to wrap loosely around his calves, letting him know he wasn’t alone even if they couldn’t directly see each other just then. Taekwoon placed his hand on the blue’s back, feeling the prominent ridge of the dragon’s backbone under his palm, and took a deep breath. One more and he was back on his way to being steady once again.

When he finally turned his attention outward, he saw that Chaerin was watching him with Jungkook and Hyunseong in attendance. Taekwoon met their eyes and then continued with a further scan of the group. As somewhat expected, Insoo was keeping a curious eye on them and even Wooyoung, Jinyoung, and Taeyeon were paying closer attention to the group’s dynamics. It wasn’t surprising since the dragons had probably been speaking at least a little bit with their riders. On the other hand, it did mean that speaking with Chaerin alone would probably be a bit more difficult.

With a grimace, he stalked over to his pack on Jongup’s back and yanked one of his last travel rations from it. Like usual, he still didn’t feel hungry but he didn’t want to eat with the others and at least this gave him an excuse to wander to the edge of their group to be alone. As he gnawed on the stale piece of crumbly bread with chewy meat inside, he half hoped _someone_ would come and bother him. Well, anyone but Insoo. His personal guilt wouldn’t let that possibility rise to the fore so easily. But part of him wanted to have some kind of fight; he just didn’t know what or why. He was simply agitated and frustrated and unsettled again.

For a breath, he thought he heard someone approaching and his skin tingled in anticipation, belly tightening in response. But then he heard a hushed call. “Jungkook, don’t. Just leave him be.” No… Chaerin apparently wasn’t going to let them confront him today. Again, he had to wonder if it was her or Tiamat. Taekwoon very nearly turned to look and see if he might catch a glimpse of the dragon god in her eyes, but he delayed too long and figured he’d missed his chance.

“Ugh…” the conflicted rider groaned, setting his unfinished ration aside. With another huff, he crossed his arms over his folded knees and let his forehead fall on top. Nothing was easy anymore. Nothing made sense.

He didn’t know how long he had been resting there when Jongup eventually made his way over. Like usual, the blue settled on his left side, guarding his healing wounds. He curled his neck around to block off the front and extended a wing over Taekwoon to try and protect him from the outside, flooding their bond with the reassurance that he was not alone. In this safe space, Taekwoon turned into the warmth of Jongup’s neck and curled close.

Drifting in and out of full consciousness, Taekwoon listened when Jongup kept him informed of what the rest of the camp was doing. Like any regular wing, they ate together; talked together; worried about home, the journey, the dragons, the injured… Taekwoon; and tried to come up with a strategy for the next leg of the flight. They worried too about the intimidating silence from the dragon gods. It did not bode well for them to be so quiescent of late.

But no one had any real ideas – that they were willing to volunteer anyway – so the night ended like every other night so far. The riders split off into their usual pairs and groupings and the dragons slept or kept watch for them all as necessary. Sometime during the evening, Taekwoon came back around to full consciousness with the feeling that he was being watched. Peeking out from under Jongup’s mostly pulled back wing, he exhaled as he saw Chaerin at the edge of his vision. The moonlight was poor but of the two women, she didn’t resemble Taeyeon enough to be the other rider. Not to mention Taeyeon had no reason to see him herself.

“What are you doing?” he asked tiredly, lacking the care and energy to try to be subtle or cunning in that moment.

“Couldn’t sleep,” she murmured, making sure to keep her voice low while she drew closer. Behind her, a pale shadow moved and Taekwoon could see that Fei was keeping a close eye on both of them.

Another pale shadow shifted in his periphery though and he raised a brow in confusion when he saw it was a silver dragon. He blanched like he tasted something bad, the understanding that it was probably Hero stirring a plethora of unwanted and conflicting feelings in him. “Why not?” he asked, trying to distract himself.

She didn’t answer at first, fidgeting in place where she sat down in front of him. “If something was bothering you, you could have just asked,” she deflected instead, pulling at the grass under the debris around her.

Taekwoon watched her for a few breaths, trying to decide once again who was talking. If she was possessed, what he wanted to do might be dangerous. But if not… Taekwoon took a breath and shrugged to himself. What more did he have to lose? While he still wasn’t rested, he felt grounded enough to at least take a step forward. On quiet feet, he stood up and closed the distance between them until he was standing over her looking down. She was so distracted with her own frustration that it took her a moment to notice. When she did, she flinched and stared up, meeting his eyes uncertainly. He could see no hint of the dragon god’s silver eyes in hers.

“What?” she asked in a whisper, left arm raised defensively between them.

“What did Tiamat want with you?” he asked just as quietly, keeping his voice low but his gaze steady, unblinking.

It was obvious she was not ready for that question. Her eyes went wide and she looked around quickly before she grabbed his hand and yanked him closer, nearly making him fall in the process. He had to use her shoulder to support himself and it brought their faces much closer together than either anticipated. But while it flustered Chaerin by the way her eyes darted about his face, not sure where to look, Taekwoon felt no such consternation. He just wanted an answer. “Ugh!” she scowled quietly, grabbing his shoulder and shoving him the rest of the way down to try and make their position less awkward. “What is wrong with you?!” she hissed, looking around again with a pained expression.

“I’m waiting for your answer,” he murmured, looking at her with the same focused intensity as the first time he’d felt Tiamat in her.

“No wonder you didn’t ask me earlier,” she scowled, slouching over her crossed legs and looking away, cheeks dark in the dim light.

“Chaerin,” he called, reaching out to grab her wrist in a firm grip, making her look at him. “Tiamat.”

“How did you know?” she whispered in a worried tone, eyes wide.

“Does it matter?”

Chaerin grimaced and looked away. When she didn’t look back fast enough, Taekwoon tightened his grip just enough to make her wince. She tried to tug away reactively but he held fast and continued to wait. “I’m not like Jinki, you know.”

“That’s not what I asked,” he hissed darkly, leaning closer as he fought down the immediate surge of irrational anger that followed the statement.

They were both surprised by a very quiet warning growl nearby. Together, they looked over and saw the faint outline of a dragon head sliding into their view. Silver. Wary. Hero. The two riders grimaced at his appearance and then jerked in surprise as two answering growls rose from nearby. At the same time, they looked over their shoulders and saw their dragons rising up to challenge the silver. Blue and gold stalked forward with wings partially mantled and fangs bared. Quiet hisses escaped their clenched teeth and the silver looked… confused.

Taekwoon checked the other direction to make sure there was no one else nearby and leaned close enough to whisper into Chaerin’s ear. “What did Tiamat want!?”

She grabbed his arm hard, fingers digging into leather covered flesh. “You.”

“Why?” he asked, pulling away enough to look into her face again with furrowed brows.

This time, she didn’t flush or pull away as she searched his face. They were close enough that his breath made the hair framing her face flutter but she simply shook her head. “I don’t know.” Looking down, she exhaled. “I was trying to think of why but she didn’t tell me.”

“Why you?” he asked, using his free hand to pick her chin up so she’d look at him again.

Chaerin’s mouth thinned and she wrinkled her nose once before she answered. “She wants me to take you to her.”

Taekwoon searched her face again, almost willing the dragon god to show up in her eyes this time. But she didn’t appear and there was nothing left but more questions. Only he didn’t really have time to ask about them. _Wing mate waking,_ Jongup warned, making his rider inhale sharply.

“Someone’s awake,” he warned, abruptly shoving her away and scrambling back to where Jongup had been resting earlier.

“What?” she gasped, obviously surprised and confused.

But he ignored her and laid down, calling his dragon back to join him. Jongup quickly settled over his rider, one wing covering him and head curling around protectively, playing along with the ruse. Taekwoon could feel the shift in the air – the uncertainty and confusion left in their wake. He strained to hear what might happen next.

“Chaerin?” Of course it would be Insoo…

“Insoo,” she mumbled in response, her voice almost too low to hear.

“You alright?” their wing leader asked with gentle prodding.

“Yeah,” she forced, the hint of a nervous laugh hedging into her voice. “I was just checking on him, you know?”

Silence followed the statement and it made Taekwoon nervous. “Woo mentioned you guys might have been arguing?” he prompted hesitantly.

Curse Hero’s meddling. Taekwoon grimaced and wondered how she’d explain it or if he’d need to ‘wake up’ suddenly to help. He was pleasantly surprised by her answer though. “Oh, that?” she forced a quiet laugh that almost came off as natural. “We both couldn’t sleep so I came over to ask him about what Gunwoo told Fei earlier. That was all,” she assured him with pretty convincing firmness.

“So you were talking and then… he fell asleep? Just like that?” he wondered, obviously aware he was missing something.

Chaerin laughed in uncertain embarrassment, her voice straining. “I was- he was-” she struggled for a second, tone colored with very real frustration. “He didn’t want you to get the wrong idea,” she finally promised, voice shifting like she was moving with the motions.

“Wrong idea?” Insoo questioned earnestly.

Taekwoon could practically feel Chaerin’s likely internal groan. “You know…” she trailed off, obviously reluctant to give a greater explanation. “Him and me alone. A man and woman. My inner dragon and him…” she trailed off in very real embarrassment.

“Oh. Ooohhh. Oh?” His three utterances followed the very amusing pattern of general acknowledgement, understanding of the implied, and genuine surprise. “That… explains a bit,” he mused. Taekwoon could just imagine his brows furrowing like they often did when he was thinking.

“Yeah,” Chaerin stated, her voice still quiet but firm this time.

“Are you sure everything’s okay? Gunwoo says Hero isn’t so positive,” he relayed, concern evident in his tone.

“Yes, Insoo. Everything’s fine,” she reassured him with all the false confidence she could muster. “If I’d been in trouble, I would have called for help or had Fei do it for me,” she promised, that statement at least being sincere.

“Alright,” Insoo sighed, voice timbre changing like he’s shifted directions. “I just have to make sure of these things, you know?”

“Yes, wing leader,” Chaerin agreed, the sound of her voice also changing.

They were walking away. Taekwoon could tell by their diminishing sounds, but Jongup was also keeping an eye on them. And Hero who seemed justifiably miffed about being cast aside. But Taekwoon had few thoughts to spare for the silver dragon. He was grateful Chaerin had felt it necessary to keep up the ruse of normalcy. He knew why he thought it was important, but he didn’t know why she had gone along.

It was just… even if she wasn’t like Jinki… he needed to understand. He needed to know why Tiamat wanted to see him; he needed to make sure no one else got pulled into it. Maybe it was foolhardiness or genuine insanity, but he didn’t think they’d be able to actually meet the dragon god one on one. It was hubris, he knew, to think he could, but he’d done it once before and survived. Barely. But he had.

He still didn’t understand why she had not sought him out specifically, but it didn’t matter. Tiamat was looking for him. And he had no qualms about actually meeting her. Truth be told, in his heart of hearts, he perversely hoped she might be able to tell him what had happened to Jinki if nothing else. He knew Jonghyun had been killed. He’d felt the brutal severing of their bond. And he’d seen Bahamut take over Jinki’s form, but… was he gone too or was there something left…?

He didn’t know why the dragon god wanted to see him, but if she could answer that, he was more than willing to meet with her. Whatever the outcome might be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not gonna lie, I struggled a bit with this chapter. If it seems a little all over the place, that's why and I apologize. I think real world events might be muddying the waters and influencing the shifts here, but I do hope you enjoy the update all the same. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask, but otherwise, I hope that you're enjoying the story! If nothing else, have a wonderful day and please look forward to the next update! Thank you!


	65. Second Encounter

Sleep was impossible for Chaerin. The camp was quiet and Insoo had gone back to sleep so there was no one else around to bother her. Oh, Hero was still awake and being grumpy, according to Fei, but two of the other dragons were officially on watch and everything else was strangely peaceful.

Except for her mind anyway. Over and over again, she replayed what she’d said to Taekwoon. And of course, the memory of his face being so close to hers kept shoving its way to the fore too, but that only added to her confusion and irritation. “Stupid!” she berated herself quietly, curling tighter into a ball against Fei’s belly.

The gold shifted with care and then the ground scraped as her head slid into view, peeking under her wing. It was quite dark but there was just enough light to see the faint sheen of her eyes as she stared at her rider. Almost childlike, Chaerin reached out and pulled Fei’s nose close, locking gazes as she willed entrance into Trance. Her dragon acquiesced easily and Chaerin fell into familiar but slightly altered space.

“What’s troubling you, Rin?” the gold in her human form asked, pulling her rider into the circle of her arms protectively.

It was strange that so simple a thing as a hug could bleed away most of her tension. Chaerin wrapped her arms around her dragon’s waist and squeezed hard, soaking up the mute but obvious affection. Fei didn’t try to pull away or rush her. She simply waited for her rider to come around in her own time. At last, Chaerin pulled back to pillow her head on Fei’s shoulder. “Can you talk to Jongup?”

Fei chirped in mild surprise, one hand moving to pet the back of Chaerin’s head. “I can.”

“Privately?” she wondered, not sure how likely others were to be able to listen in.

Her dragon stilled for a moment and took a breath. “Probably,” she hummed after a pause, her expression obviously pensive. “Normally yes, but… I’m not sure what Tiamat did to this space,” she admitted quietly.

Chaerin sighed once and looked around, noticing again how strangely solid the area surrounding them looked. “Is this a room? Like where we speak but different?”

“More like a cage,” Fei murmured unhappily. “I can hear from and speak to those on the outside, but I cannot leave.”

“What? Why not?” her rider asked, pulling back so she could look directly into the dragon’s face.

Fei shook her head and grimaced. “I suspect it has something to do with me knowing where Tiamat is…”

“Right…” Chaerin exhaled, turning to look at the hidden horizon. “Is she close?”

“We’re moving in the right general direction,” she conceded with a nod. “She’s not far now, but she won’t be easy to find regardless.”

“Why not?”

“She’s hiding,” Fei murmured, turning her golden eyes on her rider once more. The admission made Chaerin gasp and for one heart stopping moment, she was deathly afraid about where the dragon god was. The gold’s dry snort of amusement was a strange balm, but it made Chaerin feel at least a little better. “She hates humans, Rin. A human body is not one she would choose to hide in. Especially when there are so many dragons available.”

“Oh…” Of course she was relieved by that announcement, but she also knew it was no time to celebrate. With a grimace, she shook her head and forced herself to focus. “Well, okay. Let’s at least try to talk to Jongup. I don’t think we really finished our conversation earlier,” she admitted nervously, shifting her weight from foot to foot.

“Very well,” Fei agreed with a nod, turning to look outward as her eyes unfocused slightly. “He’s… sleepy,” she laughed once, mouth quirking to the side in amusement. “But coming around,” her dragon relayed. “Wants to know what we want.”

Even though she had asked for this conversation to start, Chaerin was hesitant to send her question. Eventually, she took a breath and rattled off, “What does Taekwoon want to do about what I told him?”

Dutifully, her dragon relayed the question but then frowned when she heard the response. “He wants to go,” she hummed, tilting her head to the side in mild confusion.

Chaerin wrinkled her nose and groaned. “Are you sure?” Knowing him, she wouldn’t put it past the other rider to have a ridiculous desire to challenge the dragon god himself. Or worse, it wasn’t impossible that he might have some subconscious death wish given what had happened.

“Yes,” she nodded, seemingly not as bothered by the thought as her rider was.

“Ugh,” Chaerin exhaled, tilting her head to the sky. Of course he’d say that. She didn’t really know what she’d been expecting. “Well… no,” she grumbled after a moment. “It’s too dangerous,” she added, not looking at her dragon, almost afraid the gold would chastise her or something.

“I agree it’s dangerous. We don’t know what will happen. But is it wise to ignore Tiamat’s wishes?” Fei questioned gently, her fingers tightening just a bit on Chaerin’s arms.

It made her rider look towards her and she searched Fei’s face uncertainly. “No. It’s not wise, but… I don’t want to be used as a pawn that leads to other people being hurt again. And besides, I do owe him.” He’d helped and saved her more than once already.

“What if he does not want to be saved?” Fei asked, patting Chaerin on the head and letting her hand rest there.

“Well… he’s obviously not thinking very clearly right now,” she muttered, looking down when it was harder to meet her dragon’s gaze.

“And you are?” the gold prodded with gentle amusement.

“Quiet you,” Chaerin mumbled, declining to answer as she stepped forward and chose to hug her dragon again. It was easier than looking in her eyes and she could close her own to imagine she really did know what she was doing.

“It’ll be alright, Rin,” she murmured, petting Chaerin’s head again before hugging her back. “I won’t let anything happen to you either way,” she promised.

“I know you won’t,” Chaerin smiled and sniffed, relaxing further into her dragon’s arms. She was vaguely aware when Fei gently eased her out of Trance so that she could fall asleep in her physical form, content with the decision she’d made.

As far as she was concerned, that was the end of it. She’d delivered her message but she couldn’t just let Taekwoon throw himself into the dragon’s nest in his current state. Especially since they were so close to being home anyway. And it wasn’t like he’d have much chance to approach her with the sea crossing so near at hand. So yes. Her decision was quite fine by her.

Granted, she did have to avoid his eyes in the morning. A shred of guilt gnawed at her about it, but with Jungkook and Hyunseong at hand to distract her, it wasn’t the too difficult task it could have been. Insoo came by to check on her as well, making sure she really had been alright during the evening. Intended or not, that devolved into another diversion as she explained the misunderstanding for the other two riders. And by then, it was time to start getting ready for the last leg before they stopped on the coast.

A small part of Chaerin wondered just where Tiamat was but she was determined not to let it bother her for too long. They had enough to worry about with Bahamut and whatever he was doing, or not, in his silence. Astride Fei, she was content when the dragons launched into the air. The weather looked like it was going to hold quite well for this leg and the breeze rolling off the water was welcome, even if the ruined scenery wasn’t.

There was a tiny nervousness in her belly as they approached the coast though. She couldn’t help but cast glances back at Taekwoon and Jongup, the both of whom seemed either entirely disinterested in her or all too focused at any given moment. It was mildly unnerving. At least when she looked over at Jungkook and her brother, they gave her encouraging smiles. Well, Jungkook did anyway. Hyunseong wasn’t a fount of positive energy yet but he did at least nod at her.

They approached the coastline with a couple riderless dragons scouting the shore for ideal places to land. She felt the general call to descend, like they always did when they were going to take a break. Fei shifted and set a very gentle angle to coast down. Distracted by the scenery in front and the need to see their landing zone, Chaerin didn’t realize immediately that there were suddenly a great many more dragons in front of them than usual. Frowning, she looked around and realized that most of the ones they’d been flying with had passed them.

“Fei?” she wondered, focusing on her dragon’s head. Her eyes widened and she inhaled slightly when Fei looked back at the only other dragon on their level and nodded. “Fei!” she yelped, feeling fear, betrayal, and surprise clash within her as the gold put on a sudden burst of speed and flapped hard towards the open ocean, veering away from the direction of Kinshire. Jongup was right behind her.

A chorus of confused and worried cries erupted in their wake. Looking back, she could see almost the entirety of their group had pulled up to give chase. The only ones missing were the injured and those carrying the wounded. But… despite their training and determination, the longer Chaerin watched, the longer the distance between them didn’t change much, even for the fastest of their group. Seohyun led the pack but only just and Taeyeon looked nothing but frustrated by the realization she could not catch up. Chaerin’s dragon flew as if she was driven by something and Jongup seemed almost feral in his focus.

“Fei! What are you doing?!” she screamed, turning her confusion to action as she hit at her dragon’s back with blunt fists. A wave of apology and love and reassurance washed through their bond, further confounding her. “Stop this!” she commanded, yanking at the straps that connected them. “Stop, Fei! Stop!” Chaerin looked over to try and yell at Taekwoon too, but shock stole her words.

A shadow marred the rider and his dragon. They looked up. And then Chaerin was looking down as something literally knocked them out of the sky. “Taekwoon!” she shrieked, throwing herself against the straps as she reached for him belatedly. “No!” she denied, watching in horror as a silver dragon spiraled down with them. “Fei!” she railed in betrayed anger, glaring at her dragon when the gold made no effort to go after them. Another sad apology washed through their bond, but Fei merely kept flying, her head pointed down as she watched.

Chaerin flinched when they hit the water, the sound like the breaking of a mountain, before they disappeared beneath the surface. She wailed in denial, her stomach tight and heart aching. Fei lowed, something between an apology and a warning as some of the other dragons drew close to where their wing mate had disappeared. In another heartbeat, Chaerin understood why. A shadow unfurled beneath the surface, black as pitch and as large as an aerie. The dragons above the water floundered and flapped upwards, all too aware of the danger.

“Tiamat,” she whispered, drawing in a shaky breath that froze in her lungs when a silver eye opened. It darted once, twice, and then focused on her and Fei. She was sure of it. The giant eye blinked and then faded away as her head turned, taking the shadow further into the depths. “No!” Chaerin sobbed, knowing the dragon god had them. “Bring them back!” she demanded before turning her anger on her dragon. “Go after them! Fei! Go! Now!” the rider wailed. When mute apologies were the only response, she shoved the sentiment away and beat against the gold back with her fists.

As they were quickly surrounded by confused allies, the only thing that Chaerin felt was betrayed. Her dragon had tricked her. And now Jongup and Taekwoon were gone and it was her fault…

When awareness returned, the first thing Taekwoon realized was that the ground was hard. It was surprising only because he last remembered the agonizing sting of hitting water and then being surrounded by it before he lost consciousness. But now… he was dry, utterly vulnerable and… someone was watching him. His belly clenched in reaction and Taekwoon slowly looked up, freezing entirely when he saw an equally vulnerable, obsidian skinned woman with silver pinpricks for eyes looking at him.

“Tiamat!” he gasped, instinctively knowing who she was without needing to be told. She had the same feel as Bahamut had when he’d met the dragon god in Trance before. The recognition was followed by a myriad of emotions that clamored within him: fear, anger, curiosity, and surprise.

She acted as if she had not heard him. Kneeling near his head, she leaned closer and asked, “Where is your dragon?”

It was such an unexpected question. Reactively, he reached for Jongup, suddenly afraid he was gone and he’d missed it. But the connection was still there, even if he couldn’t actually see the blue dragon right now. He didn’t know where he was. In light of that, her question felt taunting and he snarled, “What did you do with Jongup?!”

One brow rose in amused surprise and she snorted a gust of air through her nose. “Your dragon,” she stated simply, pointing at him as if it was supposed to mean something, “is gone. Where?” 

Unable to ignore the sharp command in her final word, Taekwoon flinched, very natural fear warring with his anger. But with it came a possible understanding. He couldn’t quite meet her gaze, the intense strangeness was too intimidating just then, but he looked at her in his peripheral vision and swallowed. “Bahamut.”

The dragon god waited, obviously listening for more, but no additional words were forthcoming, she sniffed once and sat back on her heels. Her eyes narrowed with the sudden fire of anger and, even though it was not directed at Taekwoon, he still felt a frightened chill race down his spine.

He had been a complete fool for thinking he could stand before Tiamat. When the opportunity had finally presented itself, he was reduced to nothing more than a frightened human that knew he was powerless against her. The realization burned like the high heat of a fire and he dropped his head again. But even so… he couldn’t deny that he was still curious about why she wanted to see him. And… he wondered if she had answers she would actually give him.

“Foolish man,” she scowled, rage darkening her features. But just as quickly as the emotion came, it left and a strange thoughtful satisfaction appeared instead. It was almost more unnerving than the anger. “I see,” she mused, eyes drifting down to look at Taekwoon again, the expression otherwise unreadable. “This might actually be better.”

Unable to even conjure independent thoughts, the only word that came to mind was, “What?”

“Right now, you are useless to me,” she sniffed with undisguised disappointment. The tone of her voice stung more than the words themselves. “Incomplete. Broken. Even less than a human. You are not what I wanted. But…” she paused, hesitating as her face turned strangely pensive. “You may still be what I need.”

At last, a shred of angry defiance bloomed in Taekwoon and he clenched his fists. “No.” He would _not_ be used by the dragon god.

His response amused her, if the quirk to her mouth was any indication. “That I can use,” she laughed once, a quiet hiss of sound. Her mouth opened just enough for Taekwoon to see her tongue run along one row of teeth, and her gaze drifted up. It was clear she was thinking. “The last time I… fought my mate,” she murmured, fingers drifting up to grip her chin lightly. “I felt something in him. Something familiar,” she explained, letting her eyes fall back to Taekwoon who had suddenly grown very still.

“What?” he whispered, not sure if the word was a statement of surprise or a genuine question.

Tiamat pursed her lips and leaned close again. “You _are_ hollow but, like the chutes of new grass, something in you is reaching out. Is it not?” Taekwoon sucked in a quiet breath. “As I thought,” she smiled in satisfaction.

Taekwoon swallowed and dared to start getting to his feet. Tiamat followed his movements, rising up with graceful ease. She was slightly taller than him when standing and she still felt impossibly powerful, but it didn’t matter just then. “I have just one question.” He paused to see her raise her brow in mute interest. “Where is my dragon?”

“Which one?” she asked coyly, a sly smile tugging at her lips.

At her response, the hope that leapt into his throat was painful and terrifying. “Tell me!” he growled when she just looked at him with an insufferably smug expression.

“Make me.”

The fact Taekwoon knew it was a taunt didn’t change his reaction in the least. He threw himself at her with single minded focus, fully intent on dragging the answer out. His plans were curtailed when she reached her hand out and stopped him with a palm to his chest. It felt like he hit a wall and he gasped, blinking in dumbfounded surprise. “What…?” the rider croaked, looking at her with fresh eyes.

She raised her brow again and snorted. “You are merely human and I am not bound by runes of power this time. You will have to do better than that, hollow man,” she scoffed, shoving him away with ease.

Head over heels, he tumbled backwards, awkwardly catching himself on all fours when he came to a stop. Looking up again, he grit his teeth and growled, pelting towards the dragon god once more. She treated the feint like it was another straightforward attack, allowing him a chance to pivot around her palm, bringing them close again. Briefly elated by getting in range, the feeling faded just as quickly.

For every strike he threw, she countered with ease. She knocked his jabs away with a flick of her wrist. When he recovered and tried to elbow her in the face, she caught it in her palm and shoved it down. Shifting his weight back to his right foot and yanking his shoulders upright, he rammed his left foot at her midsection with a swift heel kick. Tiamat deflected it with a downward swipe, knocking him to the right. He let his momentum take him down so he could plant his hands and try to kick her feet out from under her with his other foot but even that was useless. She simply lifted her foot and nudged him away.

Smarting from being so completely outmatched, Taekwoon rolled once and then scrambled to get around her for a better vantage. It was insulting that she remained stationary as he did, but even though it let him get behind her, he discovered it was a false hope. As soon as he tried to grab her hand and draw her arm into a lock behind her, she overpowered him with unquestionable ease. As a last resort, he foolishly tried a choke hold, literally jumping on her back and wrapping his arms around her neck.

She gave a perturbed exhale and grabbed his hair before dragging him down in front of her. “What are you doing?” Tiamat asked while leaning over his downed form, clearly disappointed.

At a loss, Taekwoon held his tongue, trying to cling to enough anger to attempt a surprise attack. When she gave a slow blink in irritation at his silence and stood up, he reacted. Kicking backwards, he rolled over his shoulders and shoved off his hands to try a horse kick. Taekwoon grunted when he connected, barely managing to make her move at all. Worse still, it was clear she’d let him hit her when she grabbed his ankle and yanked him into the air to keep him from falling. Taekwoon felt like a spider caught in a web and he froze unintentionally.

The dragon god saw it and curled her lip in disgust. “You disappoint me.” Her comment was followed by a casual toss that had more force than he was expecting.

His back hit the ground too flat to roll out of and he coughed, desperately trying to catch his breath. Panic hit when he couldn’t draw air into paralyzed lungs. “No!” he scraped past a too tight throat. He rolled onto his stomach and endured the eternity, fingers crooked into the ground. _JONG!_

Fear spiked again when he suddenly felt Tiamat’s hand on his shoulder, rolling him over. Her face was cold and hard, eyes narrowed while she looked down at him. Taekwoon’s gut clenched and he made a strangled noise of protest as she calmly gripped his throat in her hand and picked him up, dangling him in front of her. “No human alone can beat me,” she reminded him, fingers tightening around his throat as she looked in his eyes with frightening intensity.

Choking, Taekwoon pried at her hand with desperate fingers. His feet kicked out but caught mostly open space. The thought that he was going to die passed through his mind and his body spasmed as if of its own accord. His chest burned and every patch of his skin tingled, the sensation nearly lost in his mortal struggle.

“So Taekwoon,” the dragon god asked quietly, her voice impossible to miss despite the thunder of blood pounding in his ears. “Should I kill you or do you want the answer to your question?”

The rushing sound in his ears turned to a high pitched whine. His vision started to fade. Numbness cast a pall over his skin and a single phrase tumbled through his mind like a boulder rolling down a mountain. ‘Which dragon? Which dragon? Which dragon…?’ _ALL OF THEM!_

An explosion of feeling erupted around the hole in him. Like the burning of warmth after too much cold. He felt his body move but he didn’t know what he did. And yet, suddenly he could breathe again as he fell to the ground. Taekwoon convulsed as he coughed once, one hand rising to his aching throat, and inhaled twice. On the second breath, he slammed his free hand against the ground and roared. The sound that emerged was strange, blended, but it didn’t immediately register. When Taekwoon looked up to see Tiamat, his vision flickered, sharpening for a heartbeat before returning to normal. He barely noticed. All he saw was Tiamat’s smirk and he felt a familiar rage descend over him. Sharp fingertips tore into the ground as Taekwoon attacked the dragon god anew. This time, she responded with a genuine smile on her face. He didn’t care.

Taekwoon struck at her, seeing flickers of movement in the corners of his vision that didn’t quite make sense to him. But Tiamat moved as if to defend against something he couldn’t truly see. When he got close enough to engage with his hands and feet, the dragon god blocked and pivoted away. He knew she was still holding back and it only angered him more. His body crouched and pivoted in a way that he didn’t understand but it felt right so he went with it.

With his back to her briefly, he didn’t see what made Tiamat make a surprised sound. As he came around, he noticed one foot out wider than the other, like she’d had to stabilize herself. But she was still smiling, delighted this time. And her eyes appeared to follow something behind him but when he looked over his shoulder, he couldn’t see it.

Confused and angry, he charged straight at her. “WHERE ARE MY DRAGONS?!”

Tiamat grinned and stepped to meet him, locking hands as she stopped them in place. “Can’t you feel them?” she asked, staring into his eyes as if she was looking at something more.

‘Can’t you feel them?’ The question looped around his mind once and Taekwoon blinked. “Feel… them…?” he murmured, eyes widening as he abruptly recognized the signs. The pain in his chest. His tingling skin. Flickering vision. And the rage… Numb in a different way, Taekwoon stumbled back, hands sliding away from Tiamat’s with no resistance. He looked down and placed a trembling hand over where his heart was. “Dragon?” he whispered with desperate hope.

Taekwoon gasped. He _was_ there. He couldn’t hear him but he could feel the shadow of his inner dragon; the faint ghost of his presence. Taekwoon smiled and then laughed as he cradled his hand over his heart. His vision grew misty and tears fell onto his cradled fists. If his inner dragon was… alive, did that mean a part of Jonghyun was too? And if Jonghyun was, could it be possible that Jinki wasn’t entirely gone either? “Tiamat…” he whispered as he looked up, not sure what else to say. She was immediately in front of him when he did and he should have been startled but he wasn’t. He was more surprised by the conflicted look on her face.

“A dragon’s love and respect is not so easily lost,” she murmured, ghosting her fingers against his face to draw the specter of his inner dragon’s image before them. “Especially when it is not truly gone.”

It was harder to breathe with his bronze dragon half visible, but Taekwoon was mesmerized by it. He didn’t really understand what she meant and yet, it didn’t matter. He knew where his dragons were and that gave him hope. Fragile and trembling, but there. Only… “Where’s Jongup?” he asked, tearing his gaze away from his dragon as he looked at Tiamat, his thoughts beginning to clear.

The dragon god guided his dragon back and nodded once. “Sleeping. He would have gotten in the way here. And you needed to face this on your own.”

His elation was marred by suspicion and wariness, but… considering what had happened, he was willing to go on a tiny bit of faith at least. “Is this why you wanted Chaerin to bring me to you?”

“Yes,” she answered easily, no hesitation in her voice.

“Why?”

Now the dragon god paused, mouth twisting into a distasteful frown. She even closed her eyes and rubbed at her temples with one hand before she spoke again. “I can hardly believe I’m saying this but…” she trailed off, taking a breath and meeting his gaze again. “You might be uniquely capable of assisting me in stopping Bahamut.”

Certain he’d heard wrong, Taekwoon blinked at her dumbly. “Huh?” he grunted after a moment in which she didn’t clarify otherwise.

“Are you willing to hear what I have to say?” she asked, one brow rising archly as she pulled her shoulders back, looking every bit the proud, regal figure she was.

He still wasn’t entirely sure he was hearing her correctly, but if she meant what she said, it was ultimately what he wanted to do to. And if she had a plan, that was more than he did. Not to mention, he would likely need help getting to the dragon god anyway. Taekwoon sniffed once and nodded with a quick shrug. “I’m listening.”


	66. The Trap

Untouched by the grief and anger of dragons or men, concealed from the notice of the world, unknowing of what the future held, a conversation unfolded that had the potential to determine the direction of everyone’s fate.

“I cannot beat him now. I don’t know if I ever could.”

“If you can’t, what do you expect me to do?”

“You might be able to help tip the balance. We never imagined something like you and your dragons. Your mate.”

“Hah! A broken human is your leverage?”

“And his dragons.”

“Fine. How do we fit into this if all goes as you hope?”

“If we succeed, you _could_ regain what you lost. But know that things will never go back to the way they were.”

“What do you mean?”

“I may be a god, but even I don’t have _all_ the answers.”

“…”

“Even so, it would be better to succeed. If we fail… then you _will_ die and I will probably face a similar fate.”

“Cursed if I do and cursed if I don’t then, but why should I trust you either way?”

“Why should you trust me? You shouldn’t. But no one else can help you find what you seek and we do have the same goal. Bahamut. I care little for your kind now. You were always his favorite. But he has changed. He loves nothing anymore. And if we don’t stop him, everything will end.”

“What do you mean everything?”

“ _Everything_. Or at least all humans and dragons. Together, it was easy to create the world, but now… it is not so simple to unmake such a thing by himself. He doesn’t know where to start this ending, and I can’t say if he will be selective or indiscriminate.”

“So what would you get out of this? Other than saving the dragons. Are you going to try and destroy all the humans as punishment?”

“Oh come now. If I survive… You’ll just have to wait and see!”

“Don’t toy with me.”

“Hah! You’re adorable when you’re annoyed.”

“This _isn’t_ annoyed.”

“Now, now. Save your anger. You’ll need it for later.”

“Ugh…”

“Good. Now listen well. This is the most important part.”

With Jongup’s nose tucked under his arm, Taekwoon stroked the blue’s head as they bided their time in Trance. Tiamat had effectively trapped them here with the promise of using them once she made her way to Bahamut. He had misgivings about the sheer lack of explanation regarding why they couldn’t simply wait in their own forms, but there was little he could do to force a response. Besides, he had plenty of other things to worry about in the immediate future.

Getting to Bahamut was only the first problem. There were a few other sizable mountains they’d need to overcome in the process. Not the least of which was finding Jonghyun and… Jinki. His hands stilled at the thought and a painful twist wrenched his gut.

_Will find them,_ Jongup promised, bumping his nose against his rider’s side.

Taekwoon looked down at the amber eyes and sighed. “Can you feel him? My dragon I mean.”

_Little bit,_ was the quick response. _But happy. Mate somewhere._

His mouth twitched and he fought not to grimace. “How do we know it’s not just from my bond with you?”

Jongup actively shook his head. _Not. Would know._

It wasn’t the most reassuring of answers but he had no reason to doubt his dragon. And really, the rest of his worries could only be addressed when they arrived. The situation left him with time to look back, if only because he was unsure of how they’d gotten here. “What happened before we ran into Tiamat? With Chaerin and the other dragon?”

The blue huffed once and took a breath before responding. _Fei said help us. Rider not want to. But Fei protect rider. Like I protect you. She worry Tiamat hurt rider. Not say why._

“I see,” Taekwoon mused, brows furrowed as he could almost hear the sound of her desperate voice crying out as they fled the others. He knew they would have tried to stop them but he hadn’t realized the dragons had been making plans independent of them.

_No lie,_ Jongup reminded him.

“No. You just didn’t tell me certain things,” he snorted, tapping the dragon’s forehead with a loose fist before rubbing at the space with his knuckles. “And the other dragon?”

_Silver. Familiar. Saw before with sister wing. You kill rider. Protect wing leader,_ the blue recalled, missing the name but giving enough information for Taekwoon.

He wrinkled his nose in distaste as he grumbled, “Siwon.” The creature had been quite upset at him for killing his rider. He saw it in his eyes the last time they’d shared the same space. “What happened to him?”

_Not… sure,_ his dragon spoke slowly, as if he was being careful what he said or didn’t know what to say. _Still feel but… strange._

“Why?”

_Not sure,_ he repeated, looking down.

“Uppie,” Taekwoon sighed, knowing his dragon was hiding something from him. There was probably a reason for it. For a moment, he debated the merit of trying to force a response but grimaced at the thought. That wouldn’t be kind to either of them. “Alright,” he shrugged, opening his hand to pet the dragon’s face again. “After everything is over, you can tell me.”

Jongup didn’t say anything, but he did try to hunker closer, his arm coming around to brace Taekwoon against him lightly. It was essentially a hug and it worried Taekwoon more than the lack of words did.

In this space, there was no way to tell the passing of time. All markers were missing and the scenery never changed beyond the usual ebb and flow of the gray space surrounding them. Why Tiamat had not allowed them to wait in their own physical forms was beyond Taekwoon, though he had a thought he was just as happy not exploring right now.

Really, marks or even days could have been passing for all he knew. Nor was there any change with his inner dragon. He could still feel him, a specter of his former self, but there. Right now he just felt dormant or perhaps tired. Whatever the reason, he was glad enough to have him. It made Taekwoon feel less broken. Ready for what he was going to have to try and do when they finally met Bahamut.

His thoughts turned dark at Tiamat’s last words and he couldn’t help but wonder if she was right. By the time he could actually worry about such a thing, it was too late and he noticed Jongup’s head turn and tilt. Taekwoon felt like he should be able to hear something and he strained to catch a snippet of whatever it was. But then Jongup flinched. Pressure shoved at them like the weight of a wall of wind. A dull roar whispered into his awareness and Taekwoon looked to see what was causing it.

“A wall?” he frowned, slowly getting to his feet as he saw a barrier approaching. Set against the gray space, it was a writhing surface of stormy clouds bearing down on them.

_It begin,_ Jongup warned, shifting to stand defensively at Taekwoon’s side, his wings pressed tight to his sides and his head lowered. Only his amber eyes moved, darting across the moving surface as if searching for something.

“What has?” his rider murmured, placing a hand on the quivering shoulder.

_They meet. Fight soon,_ the dragon hissed, tail swishing once as the wall slowed and stopped before jumping forward again.

For one moment, Taekwoon felt the need to flee, to get away from the advancing darkness, but he also knew there was no escaping it. The barrier extended as far as he could see in every direction, including below where the ground should have stopped it. He took a quick breath as his heart hiccupped in his chest when he thought he felt something stir… One hand reached forward almost on its own accord and he watched it before urging his feet to move. “Let’s go,” he whispered, brushing his fingertips against Jongup’s shoulder.

He leaned forward to lunge and Jongup jumped up from behind him. Talons gripped him around the waist carefully drawing him up as wings lifted the dragon into the open space. They approached the wall with every nerve alight. Jongup flapped once more and then curled his wings around them both, protecting his rider as they careened into the barrier. It swallowed them like thickened smoke, clinging to every stretch of cloth and skin with a tingling sensation.

And then they were through, tumbling into another similar Trance space. Unlike the shifting darkened gray of Tiamat’s, this one looked like the gray clouds of an ending day. As Taekwoon stumbled to an awkward stop, he cringed at the sheer stillness of their surroundings. He knew it was Trance and yet it felt almost dead in its sterility. “Did we make it?” he wondered aloud, looking at Jongup out of the corner of his eye.

Jongup raised his head and sniffed, tilting from side to side in a questing motion. _Yes!_ he crowed excitedly. _Mate!_

Taekwoon’s gut twisted at the confirmation and it took everything in him not to start shouting into the distance. He couldn’t quite control his breathing or his pulse but his body was still under his control. “And Bahamut?” he asked, raising his hand to trail his fingers over his heart. His dragon half was trying to stir, sluggish and tired, but there. Like a dowsing rod, it seemed as if he was searching for the other part of the connection.

_Not sure,_ Jongup responded, suddenly hunching down to make himself small, wings tucked tight and body low to the ground. _Everywhere but not know if sense us._

“Okay,” Taekwoon whispered, unable to banish the tremble in his voice. “Come on,” he encouraged, touching his dragon’s shoulder again as they started walking together.

Sensitive to the minute shifts they felt from each other regarding changing directions, the pair wound their way through the unchanging space. Taekwoon’s skin crawled like a thousand eyes were staring at him and it made it difficult to focus. He wondered how Jongup felt but though their bond was secure, the situation made it hard to notice.

It would be better if they could find Jonghyun and Jinki before Bahamut realized they were there, but they had nothing to go on other than distorted feelings. While the space was unchanging, it did not give straight directions. Instead, it seemed to bend Taekwoon’s perception of where the sensations were coming from. Jongup felt it too by the way they both moved forward as if drunk, veering left and then right again without any noticeable change before them.

All too suddenly, the space itself seemed to freeze and Taekwoon stopped dead in his tracks with a feeling of impending doom. In his periphery, Jongup shrank down even lower, nearly lying on the ground now. Taekwoon reached his hand to the top of the blue back and gripped the slightly raised spine hard, ready. Taekwoon expected a grand entrance for the dragon god, much like Tiamat was prone to. He did not anticipate a whisper in his ear.

“What have we here.” It wasn’t a question.

Jongup leapt forward, partially dragging Taekwoon along before his tail caught the rider around the waist and finished yanking him out of immediate range. The blue pivoted and tore his talons into the ground to stop himself as Taekwoon slid to a halt beneath him, both very much shaken and caught off guard.

“I thought I felt something here,” Bahamut murmured, his silver eyes unblinking in a perfectly chiseled but pale face. It was the same face that Taekwoon had seen in his second Trial. _He_ was the same.

‘Confront him directly if you run into him first. He will not care either way, but as long as you don’t cower, you may catch his interest.’ Taekwoon took a quick breath and numbly crawled out from under his dragon. “I’m here for my mate!” he growled, hands balling into fists quite naturally.

So very similar to Tiamat, the silver dragon god’s brow rose and he snorted. “I had not realized that one was still here. Huh,” he chirped with a dismissive shrug. “No matter. He will fade in time.”

“No!” Taekwoon denied, rage boiling up at the mere thought. ‘Get angry but not too angry. You still need to be able to think clearly to respond.’

“Away,” the dragon god waved with his hand, clearly done with their encounter.

Taekwoon braced for the attack but frowned curiously when all he felt was a shove that was no worse than a large gust of wind. “I will not leave without my mate,” he snarled, looking up to meet Bahamut’s gaze directly. Unlike with Tiamat, he was not paralyzed by their power difference here. Oh, the dragon god could surely destroy him with ease, but this time, he had a purpose.

“Hmm,” Bahamut hummed, brow creasing in curiosity. He directed his attention at Jongup and pointed, “You. Shoo.” Jongup dug his talons in harder and snarled back, body shivering like a strange wind passed over and then stilling. Taekwoon did not expect the flat chuckle that emerged from Bahamut’s throat next.

‘No matter what he tells you, you must stay focused on getting to your dragon and your mate.’ “What’s so funny?” Taekwoon demanded, swallowing loudly. His skin itched like his inner dragon was waking but he didn’t feel the creature trying to stir just yet. It was more like he was still searching.

“You have nowhere to go,” he answered, a thoughtful smile that was almost a smirk tugging at his lips.

The sense of unease that had been hiding in the back of Taekwoon’s mind suddenly woke and twisted hard, making him recall the dark thought he didn’t want to consider earlier. “It doesn’t matter,” he growled despite his own misgivings.

Bahamut responded as if he hadn’t heard him. “I should probably just put you out of your misery now. It would certainly make dealing with her simpler,” he added, expression twisting as if he was briefly distracted.

‘If you see an opening, you should probably take it.’ Taekwoon looked at Jongup with a quick nod and the two launched forward. His inner dragon woke enough to fuel his form with anger. No shadow of his dragon self appeared, but Taekwoon attacked anyway. Well aware of what had happened with Tiamat, he was ready for the hand that rose, almost lazily, to stop him. Ducking under it swiftly, he tried for a left cross and choked when Bahamut’s other hand came up to grip his throat, stopping him with ease. It lasted for less than a heartbeat.

Jongup’s jaws snapped shut around Bahamut’s forearm, teeth a mere finger length from Taekwoon’s face. “Ow,” Bahamut commented, fingers relaxing to release the rider. Taekwoon stumbled back enough to watch as the dragon god knocked Jongup’s head away with an underhand strike. Massive teeth shredded his flesh and he grimaced at the ruined mess of his arm while Jongup staggered away in a daze.

Stunned, Taekwoon blinked in shock. Logic said it should have been bitten off. Reality said otherwise. Then he realized that Bahamut was distracted again. ‘But remember…’ He surged forward once more, driving his elbow into the dragon god’s chest, just below the v shape of his breast bone. In any other man, it would have stunned him. In the dragon god, it made Bahamut frown and look down.

Taekwoon had just enough time to realize he had been foolish again. It took everything he had to curl up defensively and it was just barely enough. The claw swipe with a blunt hand that struck him felt like a dragon running into his body. Agony radiated as he crumpled, vision graying when he hit the ground and rolled, struggling to stay conscious. ‘… you must survive.’

He heard Jongup’s panicked roar. Bahamut’s command silenced him. “Stay.” And all Taekwoon could do was struggle to breathe much less think. He was pretty sure his arm was broken and he’d be lucky if that was the worst of it… His eyes were watering so bad he could barely see through them. A distorted and pale figure walked towards him. Taekwoon knew it was Bahamut. He knew he should get up. Needed to be on his feet to meet the dragon god. But he couldn’t… Like before, panic and true fear surged when Bahamut stepped on the side of his neck firmly. He was going to die…

‘Do whatever you must, but you cannot die.’ “Tiamat’s trying to trap you!” he blurted in a pained rasp, one hand clawing at the ground and the other unresponsive.

“Of course she is,” Bahamut responded easily, unsurprised by the statement, but he did not step down yet. “She can’t defeat me in a fair fight. But it won’t matter.”

“How do you know that?” Taekwoon whispered, breathing hard as he tried to stall for time. ‘He won’t be easy to fool, no matter what you do, but he will probably expect you to act like a less than honorable creature.’ “You didn’t know my mate was here and she did. She’s more aware than you are,” he pressed, knowing the taunt would either annoy or amuse the dragon god.

Bahamut snorted once and then fell silent, the weight of his thoughts pressing down on Taekwoon like a storm. He nearly gasped in surprised relief when the foot moved off his neck. “And I suppose you know something about this trap then?” he prompted, reaching down to grab Taekwoon’s hair this time and lift him up.

Taekwoon hissed and reached at the hand holding him with his functioning one, fresh tears stinging his eyes. “Yes,” he croaked when he was left with just enough room to stand on his tip toes.

“Tell me,” Bahamut encouraged, silver eyes level with Taekwoon’s, the dark gold pupils slits like a dragon’s.

It was hard to meet his gaze. All predator and power, Taekwoon wanted nothing more than to run away. But he couldn’t avert his gaze, much less make his body move. “Let me… see… my mate… first,” he panted, forcing words past a stiff tongue.

“Why?” the dragon god asked, tilting his head to the side in a very draconic motion.

‘If your situation is dire, you can always try to play to his godhood.’ “You took him from me,” he nearly cried, struggling to keep his footing. “At least grant me this final kindness. From my creator to his child.”

Bahamut’s eyes narrowed and his lips thinned. “How do I know _this_ isn’t part of Tiamat’s trap? She did manage to sneak you in after all. I have to wonder why?” he mused, expression turning thoughtful.

‘And if that doesn’t work, remember, we are proud creatures.’ Taekwoon almost laughed, the sound coming out broken and like a cough instead. “Even if it was, you already said it wouldn’t matter,” he reminded the dragon god. “I just want to see Jinki… one more time…” he pleaded, unable to stop his grief filled tears this time. “But,” he rasped, swallowing hard and trying to clear his vision enough to meet the other man’s gaze. “If a meeting of two weak and soon to die humans is somehow a threat to the great dragon god Bahamut, I guess it can’t be helped.”

His words made Bahamut laugh in earnest this time. “Now I know you’re part of the trap,” he grinned, reaching his free hand to pat Taekwoon’s cheek patronizingly. Taekwoon’s heart sank and he cringed preemptively, waiting for whatever fate might befall him. It didn’t come yet though. “Still,” the dragon god hummed, letting his eyes drift outward as if he could see Tiamat beyond. He probably could… “I am curious. Let’s see what game she’s playing,” he grinned, returning his full attention to Taekwoon before he casually tossed him away.

Taekwoon screamed in pain and fear. His neck felt like it had almost snapped and now he was literally flying through Trance space without any idea of where he was heading. Or where the ground was. ‘There it is.’ The thought passed through his mind in a fugue of agony and disorientation. Ragdoll, he tumbled over and over until he came to an awkward stop lying on his stomach. “Oww…” he hissed through his teeth, using the exhale to draw breath afterwards. It hurt to breathe. Hurt to exist. And he couldn’t even move either arm now. “ _Jongup_?” he called out, not sure if his dragon had followed him. No answer. Taekwoon licked his lips and tried to carefully move his head so he could look around.

More gray space in every direction. He couldn’t see anything different. No dragon. No Jinki. No Jonghyun… But what he couldn’t see, something in him could _feel._ He took a quick breath when his inner dragon finally uncoiled, seeming to fill his body like he was a suit. It was a strange sensation that only got worse when he saw his arms, the same arms _he_ couldn’t move, slide forward. He still hurt the same, but now his body was moving without his control. It should have been alarming, but with it came the unwavering conviction of _knowing._ ‘ _This way.’_

“Jong,” he whispered, reaching with every part of his being. “Come back to me. Make me whole again,” he cried, swallowing around a suddenly thick throat. “Show me where my mate is,” he begged, willing his inner dragon to move faster. As surprise gave way and he fully relinquished control to his inner dragon, he saw the ghostly form of it start to appear around his arms. Bronze skin and claws hovered over his limbs. Palms pressed down flat on the ground and Taekwoon was suddenly rising up, still horizontal but above the surface now.

With greater fluidity and urgency, they moved forward again, swaying as a dragon would when walking. Taekwoon could feel it, his inner dragon’s wings and tail, the head rising up and looking straight ahead. His vision flickered dizzyingly, but when it settled, he could see it. The ghost of a thread, like a single strand of hair in the sunlight. It faded in and out of view but called ever onward. Until…

_Rider…_

 _Jonghyun!_ Taekwoon gasped, the single word sending a chill down his spine and a quiver in his heart. The strand solidified, feeling more like a needle and thread stitching up the hole in him.

_Rider!_

 _I’m coming!_ he crowed, willing his own dragon form into existence. Shifting within the ghost of his inner dragon, he filled the space with bronze flesh and leapt into the air, using wings where his arms failed him. Flying, they bridged the distance separating them. With a throaty roar, Trance shifted as if pulling back a curtain and Taekwoon saw him. Jinki?

Sheer joy thrummed through him. Jinki!

But uncertainty and confusion followed next. Where was Jonghyun?

_Rider!_ the dragon howled in response, his voice reverberating in the bond between them. A copper shadow emerged from Jinki’s body and unfurled like a newly emerged butterfly. It flapped towards them and crashed into Taekwoon’s dragon form, disappearing in him.

Overwhelmed by the physical presence of his dragon now existing inside him, like his inner dragon, Taekwoon stalled in the air. Thoughts crowded through his mind and suddenly there were three voices all trying to speak at once: his, his inner dragon, and Jonghyun. He didn’t know what had happened but he still had to get to Jinki. He had to go. He had to-

A surge of power made all three fall silent and they turned to the source. There was a silver dragon flying towards them. Instinctively, they all knew it was not Bahamut, but it was powerful, for behind it, the dragon appeared to be dragging the wall of Trance that separated Tiamat and Bahamut’s space. A shadow outlined the silver dragon, obscuring the silver in a veil of black.

All three voices spoke at once. _Tiamat._ Taekwoon desperately tried to take control and move them towards Jinki’s body, but nothing happened. He felt himself torn: his will vying for control while his dragons were drawn to Tiamat. _No!_ he denied, unable to even draw on his usual rage for it was spellbound.

He could only watch as the silver dragon approached, seeming to grow in size as it did. Power buzzed and swarmed over them when the silver caught them in the air, engulfing them in powerful limbs. The blanket of his wings shut out the world and Taekwoon felt like he was falling.

Mottled colors blended throughout the growing dragon’s form as it pulled back and settled at the edge of the wall, tail extending through it. Silver gave way to obsidian skin. It in turn sported blotches of copper and bronze with silver threaded throughout. The wings opened and the bronze dragon was gone.

Finally, the head and neck solidified into an inky black color. Tiamat raised her head and roared, wings flaring outward as power coalesced around her. Four mounds formed around the base of her neck and shoulders, rising up. Four dragon heads ripped through the mottled flesh and howled with her. Two bronze heads, one copper, and one silver fell silent when Tiamat did, turning this way and that in tandem with the black head.

“Bahamut!” the black dragon god challenged, his name emerging from five different throats in a discordant cacophony of sound.

Trance roiled as a pale shadow appeared with an enormous flap of wings. “Tiamat!” the silver dragon god snarled, landing on the surface with an earth shaking thud. “So this was your plan!” he hissed, rising up to his full height to roar at her, fangs fully bared and wings mantled. “You cannot defeat me on your own so you would manipulate and use the power of dragons bound with my blood to counter me.”

Tiamat’s five heads looked down at him determinedly and nodded. “Yes. I do what I must to stop you.”

“Some mother you turned out to be,” he spat in a scathing admonishment.

She winced but snapped in return, “No worse than their father.”

“Fine,” he snorted, shaking his head in irritation. “Let us end this once and for all.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Tiamat nodded, all heads moving together.

The dragon gods leapt towards each other and clashed in a flurry of claws, wings, and gnashing teeth while Trance erupted around them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one took me a bit longer to get out than I anticipated but I am mostly satisfied with how it turned out. I will say that this scene has changed considerably from when I first envisioned it. lol As such, I am quite curious as to what you all think but either way, I hope you enjoy it. Also, that final moment is an homage to the original Tiamat in Dungeons and Dragons. She's a hydra. ;) haha


	67. The Final Encounter

It had been two days since Taekwoon had disappeared. Two terrible days in which Chaerin had withdrawn into herself, full of pain and guilt. Fei had been at least temporarily exiled from her rider and the gold was despondent as a result. And all the dragons felt off kilter regarding the loss of Jongup and circumstances under which they’d happened. Insoo wasn’t sure he had all the answers but Gunwoo had told him everything he’d been able to. He’d let the dragons question Fei and though he hadn’t liked the answers, he had no reason to believe any of them were lying. Including the gold…

He was annoyed with Chaerin for not sharing what had happened to her before, but he couldn’t hold it too much against her. She had not been absolved of her guilt in what happened, directly or otherwise, but it was obvious she was punishing herself enough for all of them. And her very genuine surprise at how things turned out had gone a long way in convincing the other riders that she hadn’t actually wished harm on one of their own.

They were all still shocked about it, but there was little they could do. The fact that Tiamat had apparently taken them, with help from a silver dragon he thought might have been familiar, didn’t help any at all. In fact, it was because it was Tiamat that he’d insisted they cross the seas the next day. They’d already learned the hard way there was nothing they could do to stop the dragon god. As much as he hated to leave a dragon and rider behind, it was the only thing he could do. That didn’t make him feel any better about the situation.

It actually worsened the feeling of seeing their home continent showing effects of a water wall as well. Talongrace was gone with only stone remains left where buildings and structures should have been. Much like in Kinshire, debris and torn trees littered the coast and as far as they’d made it inland. Since they’d only left that morning, the distance wasn’t great but it wasn’t encouraging either. And all of it made Insoo feel particularly helpless. Especially as he could practically feel the underlying fear and uncertainty taking root in the rest of his riders.

_They are worried we might act like Fei,_ Gunwoo sighed in mild irritation.

_Has someone said as much?_ Insoo wondered, careful to keep his gaze straight ahead.

_No. But the feeling is there. The dragons are worried their riders might act like Chaerin…_ he added hesitantly, almost afraid to mention it.

Insoo winced and had to fight a surge of frustration. _Don’t worry, Woo. I would never forsake you,_ he promised with all the sincerity he could muster. _And I can’t speak for everyone, but I’m pretty sure at least most of our riders feel the same way._

 _I know this, but it doesn’t change the fear,_ he exhaled, the feeling almost resentful.

Insoo could understand the sentiment. It was very likely because they had been bound to humans that the dragons could feel that way at all. Wilds did not struggle with such emotions or thoughts after all. _Well, just let me know if anything changes. Right now, all we have to do is get home. We can figure everything out from there. Whatever that’ll mean,_ he murmured in a lackluster voice.

_I will try,_ his copper agreed softly, each wing beat carrying them closer to home.

Personally, Insoo hoped they’d be able to make it without anything else happening. After everything, he wasn’t about to hold his breath exactly, but he could hope. Unfortunately… hope was a fickle and fragile thing.

_Gain is coming,_ Gunwoo announced suddenly, prompting Insoo to pull his attention from the horizon.

He couldn’t see the Aerie yet, though there was a mound in the distance that could have been it. The shadow beyond the mound was a bit more concerning though. But he needed to see what Gain’s concern was first. The fact she was coming closer without speaking through Gunwoo from a distance was significant and Insoo didn’t like what it could mean. He turned just in time to see her pull abreast of them, her golden hide dim in the overcast light.

_She is worried about something,_ his dragon relayed with a nod ahead. Insoo’s gut twisted when he realized it was the same direction as home and the shadow in the distance. _Something is happening. She thinks we should probably land._

 _Any idea what it is?_ Insoo asked, shaking his head.

_No. But Trance… is strange,_ the copper answered, tension becoming obvious in his body in turn.

Gain made a quick snapping sound with her jaw as if to say ‘Now.’ Insoo flinched at the unexpected response but shrugged. _Better safe than sorry,_ he nodded, patting Gunwoo with a quick nudge to let the copper signal for their descent.

While the other dragons seemed a little confused about the call for a break, none complained. Insoo made sure Gunwoo was comfortable when he got off and then watched in nervous fascination as Gain… paced. It was the only thing he could describe it as. Her wings fluttered in agitation, her tail twitched, and she kept her gaze focused in the direction they’d been heading as if she was looking for something. He was about to go check on her in person when she suddenly stopped… and collapsed without a sound.

Shock froze Insoo in place for a heartbeat and then propelled him forward with a startled cry. “Gain!”

His world stopped when a whisper of sound reached him. _Soo…_ A terrible sinking feeling cratered his stomach as Insoo whirled around just in time to see Gunwoo collapse too. Just like every other dragon in their group.

“No, no, no, no, no!” Insoo rambled, sprinting to the copper dragon’s side. Their bond was still there. It hadn’t been severed, but he couldn’t reach Gunwoo. The copper breathed as if sleeping, but his eyes were vacant. “Woo?” Insoo called in a trembling voice, his hand caressing the dragon’s face and head. A panicked glance up showed his riders were just like him. Confused and lost and overwhelmed by the mass collapse. Except for one…

Hyunseong raised his arm and pointed up with a frightened expression. “The sky…” he trailed off, the timbre of his voice somehow managing to draw the reluctant attention of his wing mates.

Ominous despair rose in Insoo as he forced himself to look, to see the horror that had so entranced the former rider. “Heavens help us,” he whispered at the sight of the roiling, flashing darkness that was heading towards them. He watched as writhing tendrils of living shadow reached over and beyond them, hiding the sun as it went. His skin crawled and he shuddered involuntarily when a low, monstrous groan emerged from the apparent epicenter. As a slow moving vortex connecting the heavens and the earth appeared in the distance, it literally made Insoo feel deathly ill.

He groaned and leaned against his dragon’s neck, what strength he had bleeding from him in a rush. “Woo,” he whispered again, numb with fear. Dancing flickers of light sparked in his periphery, the brief sights accompanied by sharp cracks of sound that skittered over his bare skin, but he couldn’t bring himself to care enough to see. Only when the sky itself moaned and all his hair stood on end dangerously did Insoo look up with a trembling jaw. “Oh no,” he mouthed as lightning frenzied in the sky above them.

All vestiges of any defiance fled and Insoo’s body relaxed completely. He closed his eyes in defeated acceptance and waited for the end…

Everything about Trance was madness personified. The walls, the sky, the ground beneath whatever platform the dragon gods were standing on… Billowing clouds of inky blackness flecked with brief sparks of light churned, leaving a relatively small space clear. It was not free from the effects of Bahamut and Tiamat’s combat, however. Splotches and splatters of silver, like carelessly tossed paint, stained and smeared the ground beneath them.

Another floundering charge from Bahamut showed the makings of his patterns. Forward and back, but moving to the side first, darting at straightforward but harsh angles. All power and no subtlety, it was obvious he sought merely to overpower the other dragon. His silver eyes were for her alone.

For her part, Tiamat deflected the silver dragon’s strike, swinging wide in a flowing arch, her eyes never still. They touched on Bahamut, acknowledging his position, but silver orbs flickered to a severed silver head and then swung wide to the expanse of the Trance space, as if she was looking for something. Hers was not the demeanor of a conqueror, but rather a protector, a guard of sorts. Her lack of bloodlust would not help her though. Neither would be able to last forever.

Their struggle in Trance was compounded by the very real physical struggle in the world beyond. A literal war of sheer brute strength was being waged concurrently with the malleable power of their collective shared space. The dual nature of their battle was exhausting.

One of Bahamut’s wings was severed and he was missing an eye, giant claw marks etched deep in his face. His other wing was drooping and his tail was crooked, but still he stood. Defiant and angry.

Tiamat was not much better. The silver head was little more than a stump, lost when taking Bahamut’s wing, while a bronze and copper head swung low, unresponsive. The other bronze dragon head continued to work in conjunction with Tiamat’s, nipping at Bahamut like a wolf to a deer. Still, her power seemed much diminished for all that she’d had more when they first started fighting.

“I’m almost disappointed,” Bahamut huffed with a rolling growl, shifting his weight from side to side. “You’ve learned _nothing_ about fighting since our last bout.” He followed his barb with a quick biting attack, successfully chasing the bronze head away with a nip to the neck.

“I wouldn’t say that,” Tiamat exhaled as she hopped back without taking the opening. It was too obvious and Bahamut’s sly smile confirmed her suspicion. “In fact, I would say it is you who have learned nothing,” she promised, her eyes narrowed and calculating.

He snorted at her dismissively and pulled himself up to his full height, imperious even now. “You lost your first child to aggressive stupidity and two more fled shortly after,” he scoffed, single wing flapping in agitation. “And you seem to have failed to realize our meeting here has granted me greater control in the world beyond.”

“Perhaps,” the dragon god nodded once before leaning forward and settling on all fours. The change in position made it look as if the two unresponsive heads started to move on their own again.

“Even if you could defeat me here, the ones you pitiably wished to save would be no more should you return to them,” he taunted, a shake of his head prompting a burst of lighting to skitter outward, disappearing into the blackness.

“My dear, you are powerful,” she conceded, taking a breath and tilting her black head as if listening. The bronze remained focused on Bahamut. “But you are _only_ one dragon. Thus, there is a limit to what you can accomplish.”

“Foolish woman,” Bahamut spat, leaning to the right as he shifted his weight once more and then leapt forward.

Tiamat waited until the last moment to rise up and fall back. Three heads moved to latch onto Bahamut’s neck, stalling him before he could reach Tiamat’s. Momentum carried the silver dragon forward though and he grabbed her with his claws, digging into weak flesh when he landed on top. Tiamat keened and stretched her wings to enfold the silver dragon, trapping his remaining wing within the circle of hers.

Bahamut struggled against her fiercely, trying with all his considerable power to break free. But his claws were held in place by Tiamat as she used her body as the anchor. With no solid ground to push off of and three dragon maws holding him close, the silver dragon god had nowhere to go. Tiamat closed her wings tighter and wound her neck around the other four, binding them together. Then she took a deep breath and closed her eyes as power hummed, through them, around them, and into the furthest reaches of Trance itself.

Their collective world convulsed, the seemingly endless space condensing to swallow the dragon gods, ensconcing them in an unimaginably large spherical cage. The surface fractured quickly, fine cracks appearing everywhere like a dragonling hatching from an egg. Darkness exploded into light, the center expanding in motes of warm luminescence that floated away like the seeds of a field of dandelions in the wind. From the heart of the sphere, four figures were thrown free, limp forms illuminated by an immeasurable sea of glowing orbs. Where each mote landed, soft gray clouds emerged, sanctifying the space in warmth and serenity.

“Ugh…” Bahamut groaned first, weakly pulling his human limbs under his body so he could try to get up. “What did you do?” he demanded, fury evident but the power lacking.

In her human form, Tiamat laughed without making any effort to rise. She simply stared at the peaceful sky from her vantage on the ground. “I merely leveled the field, my dear.”

“This doesn’t change anything,” the dragon god growled, stalling on his hands and knees when the bare effort of standing proved to be too much in that moment.

“Oh, I think it does,” she whispered, pulling her hand to chest and trailing her fingers over her heart with a bittersweet smile on her face.

“What…?” he murmured, confused by her utterance. But then Bahamut felt it. Something else was stirring behind him. Something that made him feel the uncomfortable sensation of uncertainty in that moment. He turned his head enough to catch a glimpse of a human wreathed in a blue dragon’s ghostly shadow.

“Jongup,” the human voice whispered in a wan face that the dragon god had worn for a short time. Brown eyes gave way to amber orbs glowing in a dragon’s face transposed over the man’s. It was the dragon that lunged forward and grabbed Bahamut’s shoulders in inhumanly strong hands.

“No!” Bahamut denied, the sound sharp but short.

It was the dragon that severed his cry, ghostly but corporeal jaws biting down and twisting with a bone crunching snap. And it was the dragon that stood up when Bahamut’s lifeless body crumpled to the ground. But it was the man that emerged with a breathless cry when he saw a familiar form lying nearby.

“Taekwoon!” Feeling almost transparent and grounded only by Jongup’s presence in him, Jinki stumbled to Taekwoon’s body. “Woonie?” he called as he fell beside the other man, one hand supporting him so he didn’t tip over and the other smoothing the wavy hair from the downed rider’s face.

A low and vibrating croon reverberated through him as he felt Jongup calling to his mate in turn. And then Taekwoon inhaled sharply, body flinching as if waking from a deep sleep. “No…” he spoke, one hand drifting out like he was trying to ward something away.

Jinki reached out and grabbed it, pulling it to his chest. “Taekwoon. I’m here.”

The dragon rider stilled with a shuddering breath. His eyes remained closed, almost like he was afraid of opening them. “My heart?” he asked in a broken voice that sounded like a lost child.

“Yes, love,” Jinki whispered back, kissing Taekwoon’s fingers as he stared at his other half’s face, willing him to look up. And then he did, the wonder in his eyes even more brilliant than the rising sun.

“Jinki,” he breathed, the name a reverent utterance. “You’re alive…”

“So are you,” Jinki smiled, tears making his smile quiver.

Taekwoon seemed frozen, mesmerized by the man before him, but Jonghyun was under no such compulsion. The copper dragon’s shadowy form emerged to pull his rider into an upright but still seated position. He crooned and Jongup appeared a heartbeat later. Freed from his thrall, Taekwoon reached for Jinki and they fell into each other’s arms, holding as tight as they could. Overlaying their forms, their dragons intertwined their necks and a fulfilling sense of wholeness wound through them.

“I thought I’d lost you,” Taekwoon gasped into his other half’s ear.

“You almost did,” Jinki responded, sniffing and burrowing harder against the rider.

“How…?” It was almost too quiet to hear, but Jinki did and he smiled.

“Jonghyun. When Bahamut-”

“Bahamut!” Taekwoon nearly choked, tensing up and apparently ready to fight. A tremulous growl followed from Jonghyun.

“Easy!” Jinki called, clinging to the rider to keep him from trying to bolt away. “He’s gone,” he promised, lips brushing against the nearest ear.

“Gone…?” the rider trailed off in stunned disbelief. When Jinki nodded, Taekwoon suddenly turned boneless and sank into the supporting arms holding him tight. “And… Tiamat?”

“She’s still here… but…” Jinki hummed, carefully turning his head to look at the strange woman lying down where she’d fallen. Ebony flesh torn and stained with silver, she looked like she was simply watching the sky. “I don’t think… she’s going to hurt us.”

They both flinched when Tiamat chuckled and shook her head. “No. I won’t.” The dragon god turned her head to look at them and then beckoned with her strangely long fingernails. “Come, my children. Yes, all of you,” she added, eyes flickering up above Jinki’s head and then back down.

_Should go,_ Jongup’s voice floated into his mind, making Jinki jump again. He’d forgotten he could hear the dragon now.

“Love?” he murmured, cradling Taekwoon’s head against his chest.

“I heard,” the rider whispered, taking a deep breath as he hugged Jinki around the waist tightly and pressed his face against his breast bone. “Just, let me stay here for a little longer,” he pleaded, his voice a ghost of sound.

“Of course,” Jinki laughed fragilely, hugging the other man to him tighter as he pressed his lips to the wavy hair. He couldn’t imagine what his other half had gone through to get here. His own experience was harrowing enough… The feeling of fading away, of losing himself to the overwhelming presence of Bahamut… it had been terrifying and suffocating. And then Jonghyun had appeared. A shadow of himself but when he found Jinki, they’d anchored each other. Taekwoon was their shared goal after all, and Jonghyun could hide their presence from Bahamut with a fold in Trance, allowing them to simply exist until something could change.

And change it did… but at what cost? He’d almost lost himself again, carried away on the waves of Trance, until Jongup showed up. It was because of the blue dragon that he’d been able to survive whatever had happened with Trance. He almost didn’t want to know, but because of Jongup, he’d been able to find Bahamut and then Taekwoon as a result. At last, they were together now. Somehow. And Bahamut was gone. Though Tiamat remained, it felt… temporary. He glanced at the waiting dragon god once and she seemed frailer than before. Almost like she was wasting away… Still, Jinki did not try to move until he felt Taekwoon’s arms relax enough to allow them to attempt to stand up.

“Come on, love,” he encouraged, supporting the rider with all his strength. Taekwoon leaned on him hard as they staggered to the supine dragon god. He also remained stoically and uncharacteristically mute, though the tension in his arms let Jinki know he had plenty of thoughts going through his mind.

“My children,” Tiamat crooned as she raised her hands to the space above Jinki and Taekwoon’s head. “You did so well,” she promised, a beautiful smile lighting up her face when the copper and blue heads dipped down to press against her palms. “And so did you,” she added, some of the warmth in her smile fading as she changed her focus to the humans, but not all of it.

“I thought you hated humans,” Taekwoon muttered darkly.

Tiamat took a breath and sighed, snorting once. “A mother can’t ignore her childrens’ choices forever.” Even as she rolled her eyes in a remarkably human gesture, she motioned for them to sit closer and then clasped her hands together over her stomach. “Your bonds may have been created out of force and lies, but your feelings for each other are very real. There is hope in that,” she smiled, placing a light hand on Taekwoon’s nearest knee.

He shifted uneasily and shook his head. “I don’t trust you.”

“Nor should you,” she laughed, clearly delighted by his comment. “But you can believe I did everything I could for my children. And the ones they love…” she added with an almost playfully distasteful grimace.

Jinki tightened his embrace around Taekwoon just a touch, the action seeming to help his other half relax. “Why didn’t you just kill Bahamut?” he wondered, still lost about that part.

Tiamat’s smile was bitter. “Because I couldn’t.” She closed her eyes and then looked up enough to glance at the mostly translucent body; without the dragon god’s power, his form was simply fading away. “He was my mate. He needed to be stopped, but I couldn’t do it.” The dragon god shook her head and then stared up at the sky. “We should have gone to the Heavens ages ago. Should have let this world run its course. So many things might have turned out differently…” she exhaled with a heavy sigh. “Now I am tired. Man… has much to make up for,” she stated, eyeing Jinki and Taekwoon. “But… I think you four… five,” she corrected herself with another glance at Taekwoon. “Might be able to start moving this world in a better direction.”

“What do you mean?” Jinki asked uncertainly, a quick look at Taekwoon showing the other man felt very much like he did.

“I mean,” Tiamat started, a slightly mischievous smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “It’s up to you now.”

“Wait,” Taekwoon blinked, one hand reaching towards Tiamat’s body as she seemed to be fading before them. “What’s happening?”

“For what it’s worth,” she murmured, ignoring his question. “I do wish things could have ended differently.”

“What do you mean?” Jinki demanded, the sentiment making him uncomfortable.

“Heavens watch over you,” Tiamat smiled, her black eyes with silver pinpricks drifting up to focus on Jonghyun and Jongup before she vanished completely, leaving nothing but silver pools of liquid in her wake to show that she’d been there at all.

“What… just happened?” Jinki asked while he looked at Taekwoon. But the rider didn’t seem to hear him. He was looking at the spot where Tiamat had been with nothing but lost confusion.

“She’s gone,” he mumbled, fingertips tracing the empty space and drawing senseless patterns in the dragon’s blood.

Jinki resisted the urge to ask Jongup what might have been wrong and reached for Taekwoon’s hand instead. “Hey,” he called gently, curling his fingers around the questing ones and then drawing them close. “I don’t understand everything that happened, love. But we’re still here,” he promised, leaning over enough to catch Taekwoon’s eyes. “Aren’t we?”

Taekwoon looked up and some of the focus returned as he really saw Jinki again. He blinked and took a small breath as a grateful smile graced his lips. “Yes,” he nodded, cupping Jinki’s cheek in his palm. “We are.”

Willingly, Jinki followed the hand that guided him close. He felt their dragons subside for now as they pressed their foreheads together. His hands were warm against the sides of Taekwoon’s neck. The eyes he stared into were a little strange, as if he hadn’t quite settled his thoughts yet, but they were Taekwoon’s. And they were filled with wonder and affection. “I am yours,” Jinki spoke, the words a mere whisper as they escaped his lips.

A beautiful smile lightened Taekwoon’s face, the expression preceding the disappearance of his remaining tension. “And you are mine,” he finished, leaning forward to press his lips against Jinki’s, tender and reverent and full of unquestioning love.

And Jinki returned it in full.

There were still so many things they didn’t understand or know, but right now, they had each other. After everything that had happened… it was enough.


	68. Making Sense of Things

He didn’t know what woke him. He hadn’t even realized he’d fallen asleep. But Insoo never expected to wake up again. Certainly not to a beautiful blue sky with the sun shining down on him. Blinking hard, he rubbed at his eyes with gloved hands and tried again, squinting when nothing changed. “What in the…?” he trailed off, wincing as he levered himself into a sitting position against his dragon. He knew he needed to check on Gunwoo but the sight immediately before him made the rider stare in awe.

Not more than two dragon lengths away, and far too close to Gain’s body to his liking, the ground surrounding them was blackened and charred. A veritable ring of burnt debris and torn ground arched around in his immediate view. When Insoo turned to check the rest of the area, he confirmed it was almost a perfect circle. It should have been impossible. He knew what he’d seen in that last moment before he’d closed his eyes and they should all be dead right now. But it was as if something had stood in the middle and managed to deflect all of the lightning away and around them.

The fact that he was alive made him tremble and then laugh with the sheer overwhelming relief of it all. And with that relief, he could still feel his connection to Gunwoo, confirming his dragon lived too. “ _Woo?_ ” he called, turning to place both hands on the sun warmed bronze neck.

Sluggishly, the dragon’s closest eye blinked, slit pupil adjusting quickly to the bright light. No longer vacant, the orb roamed for a breath before it fixated on Insoo and blinked again. _Soo?_ came the quiet, questing voice.

“I’m here,” the rider smiled in relief, moving his hand to caress the smooth cheek.

_What happened?_ Gunwoo asked, eye darting about in his limited field of vision. _Where are Tiamat and Bahamut?_ His confusion and… loss were palpable.

“I… don’t know,” Insoo admitted before sitting back on his heels to look around again. He hadn’t even realized the dragon gods were quiet. Other than the obvious anyway. Behind him, other riders and dragons were beginning to stir. A general sense of wonder and confusion filled the air. “I thought you might,” he laughed once, wincing when he turned to look in the other direction at the slowly rousing Paramour. “Gain,” he called quietly, waiting for the gold to respond.

She lifted her head with measured grace, observing the space in front of her before she swung around to see who had called her. Gold eyes touched on Insoo and Gunwoo before scanning the rest of the group. Apparently satisfied with what she saw, she arduously got to her feet and moved to paw and smell at the ruined ground like she was trying to put a puzzle together. Her head rose to look towards home and then fell, inspecting the ground again.

_She is thinking,_ Gunwoo supplied before Insoo could ask, his words slow and full of thought as well.

“I figured,” the rider nodded in understanding, brow furrowed while he looked back towards the group at large. “But she is alright?” he asked first. When Gunwoo confirmed her uninjured status, Insoo took a breath and convinced his body to rise into a standing position. “Good. Then let’s make sure everyone else is too,” he encouraged, patting the bronze’s nearest shoulder.

_Coming,_ Gunwoo groaned, an audible sound accompanying the mental voice as the dragon hefted his considerable weight into a standing position.

Not unlike a newborn foal, Insoo hobbled through the rousing bodies, using Gunwoo to check in with the riderless dragons and then pausing to speak with his riders individually. Hyunseong seemed just as lost as before but otherwise unhurt. He wasn’t surprised to see Chaerin literally clinging to Fei, who was also holding her close with one gentle claw, and trying not to cry. Jinyoung was trying to mirror Insoo, albeit at a slower pace. And as for Wooyoung, Taeyeon, and Jungkook, they seemed just as confused and dazed as he was, but none the worse for wear. Considering what could have happened, they had all come out remarkably well… Which left one largely unanswered question. How?

Insoo wasn’t entirely surprised when Gunwoo let him know that Gain wanted to see him again. He just didn’t know if he should be worried or… _It’s not bad. She wants to move on. She says something has changed and she thinks we might find answers at home,_ the bronze promised him with a look at the gold standing like a sentry on the outskirts. She was flapping her wings carefully, testing the feel of them.

“I see,” Insoo frowned, looking back over the group. With a glance at Gunwoo, he figured they would be alright, and the other riders probably would be too, but for the rest of the dragons… Well, some would be fine, obviously. But whatever they’d experienced had left them all tired. The injured ones were certainly in no condition to move and the carriers likely wouldn’t be up to it either.

“I know that look,” Jinyoung snorted as he limped closer with a mild grimace. JB was a half step behind him, picking his way through the dragons with care.

Insoo wrinkled his nose as he focused his attention on his second. “We should stay together,” he mumbled as if trying to convince himself not to follow his curiosity.

“We should,” Jinyoung nodded in agreement, even as he looked at Gain with a thoughtful frown. “But we also need to know what’s going on. It’d be best if you ran reconnaissance and just came back to let us know.” He gestured at his copper and added, “JB says things are calm. I can’t say for sure but it should be alright.”

_I agree,_ Gunwoo confirmed, turning to face the direction of home.

“If nothing else, we can start walking and we’ll send Taeyeon if something comes up,” his second added with a glance at the rider and her white dragon. Said rider looked around curiously before focusing on the wing leader and his second. She made an okay gesture with a reassuring nod and then leaned over to brush her fingers against Wooyoung’s arm, relaying whatever her dragon had told her. He nodded in understanding and the pattern was repeated for Jungkook who was hovering between Chaerin and Hyunseong.

“Well then,” Insoo laughed once, feeling both conflicted and grateful. “I’ll leave you to it,” he finally conceded, clapping Jinyoung on the shoulder with a firm hand.

“Baha-” he stopped himself on the familiar phrase and shook his head. “Heavens watch over you,” Jinyoung corrected, patting the hand on his shoulder reassuringly.

“And you,” Insoo responded, pulling a weary smile into place before he waved at the others and started walking to the outskirts. Gain was waiting for him to arrive with a strange stillness about her.

_Ready?_ Gunwoo relayed, the question coming from Gain.

“When you are,” he answered verbally, gesturing for the gold to lead the way. She seemed to have a better idea about what was going on anyway.

Gain nodded once and then stepped forward to put some distance between them. Getting airborne was more work than usual, but the gold managed it with a minimal amount of backwash from the wind. She started climbing in gentle circles to gain altitude slowly, waiting for Insoo and Gunwoo to join her.

Insoo felt stiff and tired when he clambered onto Gunwoo’s back, but the straps and the harness did most of the work as his dragon heaved himself into the air. He still felt like a ragdoll in the process, his strength strangely sapped. But in the air, the dragons could move easier, coasting on the almost too still air towards the Aerie.

They were surrounded by a strange calm as they traveled. The skies were unusually empty and the day itself felt too bright for what they’d faced not more than several marks ago. After a couple marks in the air, it was easier to see the Aerie. Or at least what remained of it. The mound he’d seen earlier was indeed home, but the mountain had been nearly destroyed, the top half virtually demolished in blackened and smoking ruins. Home as he knew it was gone…

_Is everyone…?_ he trailed off, afraid to finish the question.

Gunwoo didn’t answer for a moment, his head tilted and body still, like he was listening. The bronze shook his head and joy flowed through his answer. _No. They are_ under _the mountain,_ he promised, head angling to focus on the base of the natural structure.

“Oh, thank the Heavens,” he whispered in dizzying relief. He didn’t know the numbers, but the fact that anyone had survived was worth being grateful for. “We should go check on them,” he started to urge, nudging Gunwoo to begin descending. But his dragon did not heed him.

_No,_ Gunwoo shook his head, swinging closer to the gold. _Gain says there is something more important ahead. Look,_ he urged, body surging just enough to jostle his rider.

Frowning, Insoo pulled his attention to the horizon. It took a moment but he realized this was the direction that the strange shadow had been. He was reluctant, but considering he was little more than a passenger, he did not object. And after what felt like another mark, where the sun continued to move across the sky and into the mid-afternoon times, he could begin to see what they were aiming for.

The way was clear except… on the ground, lying in the largest depression he’d ever seen, were Bahamut and Tiamat. At least he thought they were. The dragons were black and silver after all, and they were enormous… Both bore the wounds of combat. Bahamut’s wing was folded strangely and one eye seemed to be scarred over. Tiamat had long scars over both shoulders and she seemed smaller than he remembered. Despite their injuries, they looked very much as if they were… cuddling together, necks intertwined and wings overlying each other.

“Are they dead?” he wondered, a peculiar nervousness swirling in his gut.

_No…_ Gunwoo hummed uncertainly, the answer reflexive. _I don’t know,_ he admitted after a pause. He turned to speak with Gain and she looked back as if to shrug. _The dragons are not dead but we do not feel Bahamut and Tiamat,_ he explained, at a loss.

“But… how can that be?” Insoo asked, staring at the sleeping dragons.

He felt Gunwoo’s literal shrug. _We have to get closer to find out._

“Is that a good idea?” he couldn’t help but murmur, hands tightening on the straps that connected him to Gunwoo.

_Gain thinks so._

“Oh.” Insoo didn’t know that her opinion _here_ qualified it as a good idea in truth, but it at least made him feel _slightly_ more inclined to agree. “Well. I suppose we could try.”

_We go,_ Gunwoo urged, banking to follow Gain’s initial dip. Insoo was not prepared for the immediate shift and he yelped, mentally cursing himself for agreeing so easily.

The dragons landed on the outskirts of the depression, the trees in the area uprooted and scoured clean. Patterns in the remaining debris showed a spiral as if a giant storm had raged like a cyclone here. When they approached the edge of the depression, the interior was completely barren. Nothing but lifeless earth and scattered bits of debris remained. On foot, the gold and bronze padded towards the heads of the black and silver dragons, eyes trained on the giant slumbering bodies. When they were immediately beside them, not in front, Gain sat down and wrapped her tail around her feet, wings settled comfortably against her sides.

“What’s happening?” Insoo whispered while he looked between Gain and the dragon gods, full of nervous tension. If they should wake…

_We wait for an answer,_ Gunwoo responded, lying down with his front arms crossed loosely in front of him.

“How long?” the rider asked reflexively.

_As long as it takes?_ he responded in a very questioning voice.

“Huh,” Insoo grunted, this whole moment feeling quite surreal. He didn’t know if he should be hopeful, worried, or just plain grateful to be alive. Since he couldn’t pick just one, he settled on all three and then debated whether he should get off or not. Caution bade him stay in case they needed to move quickly. He could be hopeful all he wanted. That didn’t mean he shouldn’t at least be prepared for the worst. Having decided, he shifted carefully, trying to make himself more comfortable in the meantime to await whatever would happen next. Whenever that would be…

Taekwoon would have been happy just staying close to Jinki for as long as he could. Feeling his other half in his arms after the agonizing days of him being gone was a balm to his spirit he hadn’t known existed. They had both settled into a content lull where they just held each other, bodies loosely intertwined where they sat and breathed and simply felt the other’s existence. He could have listened to Jinki’s heartbeat and the steady inhale and exhale of his breathing forever. But eventually, the questions of their situation now began to pile up and press in on them.

It was Jinki that broke the peaceful silence. His arms tightened around Taekwoon and held him closer as he admitted, “I still don’t know what happened. What is _still_ happening…”

“I’m not sure either,” the rider whispered, licking his lips as he looked inward to where his two dragons were – the inner bronze and Jonghyun. It felt good to have his dragon back. Strange now, like things had changed irrevocably, but good and whole and right.

“I remember Bahamut taking over. Almost disappearing,” Jinki murmured, pressing his lips to Taekwoon’s shoulder like he could trap the words there. “And then I remember feeling Jonghyun. He was like a ghost,” he explained with a laugh. “Something crawling over my skin before he… sank into me,” he said, words uncertain, like he didn’t know how to explain it. “I stopped disappearing. And I could hear him!” he exclaimed in wondrous excitement. “Like you always could.” His voice fell though and he shook his head. “He said he died. Bahamut had… eaten him. And I didn’t understand because he was there with me.”

“I’m glad he was,” Taekwoon whispered, cupping the back of Jinki’s head as he raised his lips to kiss the soft brown hair.

“He said he thought you were alive. He _felt_ it,” Jinki smiled, nuzzling harder against the rider. “Over and over, he said we just had to wait. That you’d come to find us. No matter what,” he sniffed, ducking his head again and taking a shaky breath.

Taekwoon sobbed a laugh and swallowed the lump in his throat. “Of course,” he almost choked, voice trembling. “I was so lost without him. Without you. Even now, it’s almost hard to believe you’re here. In my arms.”

“I _am_ here,” Jinki promised, pulling back so he could see Taekwoon’s face. He smoothed the wavy hair back and cupped the rider’s cheek. “See? I’m right here,” he assured him again, grabbing Taekwoon’s hand and pulling it to his cheek so the rider could feel for himself.

“I know,” Taekwoon agreed, wrapping his arms around Jinki tighter and holding him close once more. “I just keep feeling like this might be some sort of cruel dream,” he exhaled once, taking a quick breath. “Tiamat…” he trailed off, pursing his lips with a tight frown. “It was so hard to know what she wanted… what she intended… So much happened when I was with her and I still don’t understand it all,” he nearly cried, firming his jaw so that he wouldn’t.

Jinki’s hand rubbed small circles on Taekwoon’s back. “What did she want with you?”

Taekwoon grimaced and exhaled. “She wanted to use me. Us. I think,” he explained with a shake of his head. “All of us.”

“Jongup,” Jinki murmured, stilling carefully, “says he has more information.”

“I knew he was hiding something,” Taekwoon grumbled, not sure if he was more annoyed or if it even mattered. “What about you, Jong? And why aren’t you guys out here?” he asked, suddenly aware that the dragons had been existing _inside_ of them for at least a little while now.

Uncomfortable silence fell as neither dragon said anything initially. Then he heard Jonghyun speaking through their bond like always, only it remained inside his head and not echoing into Trance space like it typically would. _We died. All of us._

“What?!” he flinched, easing back enough to look at Jinki who shared a similar expression. “But we’re here,” he pointed out, well aware that he could _feel_ Jinki’s physical form and he could _feel_ the connection he shared with his dragons.

Taekwoon shuddered when he felt Jonghyun’s energy shift, breaking from him to allow the ghostly form of the copper dragon to sit at his side. He was still touching the rider and still connected, but _now_ his voice could project to the surrounding area. _Our bodies died. But our spirits live because of dragon gods’ power._

Across from them, Jongup separated from Jinki and nodded in agreement. _Trance different for Bahamut. Tiamat. More power. More possibility._

“We’re… dead?” Taekwoon murmured again, suddenly flinching when something Bahamut said came back to him. “ _That’s_ what he meant,” he exhaled in disgust, rolling his eyes. “’You have nowhere to go.’ _That’s_ what he told me,” he scowled, irritated anew at Tiamat’s deception. “This is what he meant.”

_Yes,_ Jongup nodded with a guilty expression.

“Don’t be mad at him, love,” Jinki soothed, placing a calming hand on Taekwoon’s. The dragonrider took a breath and closed his eyes. “I’m sure it wasn’t easy for any of us.” Though he was trying to be reassuring, his expression was equally conflicted.

“No,” Taekwoon agreed with a weary groan, one hand rising to rub at his temples with a thumb and finger. Jinki quickly moved to take over, massaging little circles in his stead. Under Jinki’s hands, the rider gave a soft groan and relaxed a bit more. After a few breaths, he nodded to show he was okay. For now anyway. It was just a weird realization to come to.

_Tiamat know you not trust her,_ Jongup explained, his head still perilously close to the ground. It was like he was trying to hide. Jinki reached over and lifted his chin up and then Jonghyun extended his neck to nuzzle at the blue’s head. _She tell me many things. I believe. She is mother,_ he explained with a subtle shrug of his shoulders.

“Bahamut was your father and you didn’t want to listen to him,” Taekwoon grumbled, one hand flailing with impotent irritation. He wasn’t mad at his dragon, but he was… frustrated about everything.

_Father want to end everything. Mother want to save. Believe mother. Help mother. Stop father,_ Jongup explained again, looking at Jonghyun as if searching for approval. The copper crooned appreciatively and butted heads gently with the blue.

Jinki shuddered at the last comment and Taekwoon had to wonder why. His questing touch made his other half look up. “Jongup… killed Bahamut,” he explained hesitantly, an accepting frown on his face.

Wide eyed, Taekwoon looked at the blue dragon, not sure he’d heard correctly. _Part of mother’s plan._

That… was new. “Okay…” Taekwoon trailed off, not really sure how to respond to that revelation. He glanced at Jinki, who shrugged helplessly, and then motioned at Jongup with one hand. “Maybe you should explain from the beginning.”

_Beginning beginning?_ the blue wondered, head tilting curiously.

_The Tiamat beginning,_ Jonghyun clarified for him, glancing at Taekwoon to confirm for sure but snorting in satisfaction when the rider nodded at him.

_Oh. Okay,_ Jongup agreed, settling in as if he was preparing to tell a story.

But when he did try to explain, it was hard to follow. The sentences were choppy and several words that Taekwoon and Jinki thought might be important were missing. And when Jonghyun tried to explain, it often made things more confusing. At one point, Jonghyun fell quiet, a distant and listening expression on his face, while Jongup kept trying to soldier forward. Politely, Jinki was still trying to listen but Taekwoon had defaulted to rubbing his face and shaking his head.

_Rider…_ Jonghyun interrupted, stalling his mate and making both Taekwoon and Jinki look up to the copper dragon.

“Huh?” Taekwoon blurted, surprised by the call.

_Gain calls,_ he explained, turning to look at his rider with bright amber eyes.

“Gain?” both Taekwoon and Jinki echoed at the same time.

_Yes,_ Jonghyun nodded, tilting his head again. _Need to wake dragon body up._

“We’re still in Tiamat and Bahamut’s bodies?” Taekwoon asked with new surprise.

_Yes._

Taekwoon and Jinki exchanged uncertain glances. “Tiamat did say it was up to us now…” Jinki offered hesitantly, clearly not sure how to respond. Jongup nodded beside him.

“How…” the rider started to say, one finger in the air like a silent question.

_Me and mate can wake. You can see. Trust us,_ Jonghyun explained with a small nod and shrug in Taekwoon’s direction.

“Do we have to…?” Jinki motioned with his hands to show them separating.

_Short time. Wake and come back with Gain,_ Jongup explained reassuringly.

Jinki’s hand tightened on Taekwoon’s and the rider took a breath. “It’s okay, my heart,” he promised, patting Jinki’s hand reassuringly. “If anyone can help make sense of things, it’s Gain.”

“I know,” Jinki murmured, face downcast. “It’s just…” he started to say before he took a breath and forced a smile it would have been impossible to feel just then. “It’ll be okay. It’s just for a little while.”

“I’ll be right here,” Taekwoon promised, squeezing Jinki’s hand with a brave smile. His other half smiled and nodded back as the dragons shifted back into their humans’ bodies.

It was wholly disorienting feeling himself change. Like he was filling a space much larger than himself. Taekwoon wasn’t worried so much, with Jonghyun taking control in a very natural role for him, but it was odd… Not to mention actively seeing from a massive dragon’s perspective…

_They’re waking,_ Gunwoo warned quietly as Gain shifted to a more alert position. From their vantage on the edge of the depression, the three watched as Tiamat’s and Bahamut’s brilliant eyes opened. They glinted like polished silver in the fading sunlight as the orbs looked around and then sighted on them. Insoo tensed up, inordinately aware of how tiny and defenseless he was in the face of such dragons. But Gunwoo was unaffected, more aware of just _who_ they were looking at.

Two massive black and silver noses came down to be level with Gunwoo and Gain. Tiamat spoke first. “Good to see you, Gain.”

Insoo looked between the two with the utmost confusion. It only strengthened when the gold dragon literally bumped her nose against the black dragon’s. “What…?” the rider started to ask, pointing between the two with an open mouth.

_It is Tiamat’s body, but Jonghyun is the one speaking,_ Gunwoo explained with confused excitement.

“What?!” the wing leader gasped, freezing entirely when his outburst caught the black dragon’s attention, huge silver eyes in an obsidian face sighting on him.

“Wing leader,” the dragon practically smiled, leaving Insoo dumbfounded.

_What happened to Tiamat?!_ he asked in a near panic through their shared bond.

_She is gone._

_And that’s Jonghyun?_

_With Taekwoon, yes,_ the bronze confirmed, not bothering to hide his pleased amusement.

_What about Bahamut?_ Insoo gulped, glancing at the silver dragon nearby.

_Jongup and Jinki._

 _All of them?!_ the wing leader almost literally flailed. He might have fallen off his dragon if the straps didn’t hold him in place.

_Yes. They want to talk to us. Well, with Gain of course, but do you want to come too?_ Gunwoo asked, craning his head back to look at his rider with mirth dancing in his eyes.

“Yes,” Insoo muttered quietly, trying to contain himself as he looked at his dragon, Gain, and the forms of Tiamat and Bahamut.

_Trance with me and we will go,_ Gunwoo promised, bringing his head close so Insoo could meet his eyes with ease.

The wing leader took a breath and swallowed his nervous apprehension. It was hard to be calm in the face of dragon gods turned friends… _Alright, Woo. I trust you._

 _Good,_ the bronze dragon smiled in approval as he pulled his rider into Trance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and I do hope you enjoyed this update! I had a burst of inspiration this afternoon and figured it would be good to share considering where we left off last chapter. We are certainly in the homestretch now. I think we should have two, maybe three more chapters left at this point. Not entirely sure yet. It will depend on just how much information I cover in the next one. But this one here should get us started. I'm trying to explain things and answer any questions you might have about what happened in the last few chapters. If I don't answer to your satisfaction, please feel free to ask. I am trying but I'm not always good at filling in all the blanks. haha If nothing else though, thank you again and I hope you look forward to the next update!


	69. A God's Parting Gift

With ease, Gain, Gunwoo, and Insoo spiraled into the Trance space. The gold sighted on Taekwoon and Jinki first, standing shoulder to shoulder with joined hands, their fingers interlaced. It was one thing to hear them, another entirely to see them in person. Relieved joy suffused her being and she landed quickly to scoop the pair into her dragon arms and hold them close. She ducked head to smell at them, confirming for herself they were everything she thought they were, and then wrapped her wings tight, as if she could somehow keep them from anything else that might happen.

_I had hoped, but wasn’t sure I could believe…_ she trailed off, her voice just loud enough to wash over them and catch Insoo’s ears.

“We are alive,” Taekwoon promised, his free hand rising to rub at Gain’s nose in a familiar, tender gesture. “As alive as we all can be anyway,” he amended softly, the whistle of his sigh more than loud in Gain’s hearing.

_It is enough,_ she assured him, taking another deep inhale and crooning softly. Gain almost felt as if she’d gotten her children back. She knew it was in part because she had been playing mother and caretaker to so many recently, but this time… the tug at her heart was a little bit stronger. _Especially because I know what you did, Taekwoon,_ she murmured, the warm and proud smile shining in her voice. _And Jonghyun,_ she added when a questing rumble emerged from the human that harbored his dragon’s spirit.

“Huh? What did they do?” Insoo asked from behind Gain’s wings, clearly curious and getting slightly impatient.

With some reluctance, Gain unfurled her wings and carefully set the two humans down before shifting into her human form. Out of habit, she conjured clothing for herself, but kept her own counsel when she realized that both Taekwoon and Jinki seemed quite comfortable without any. She hid her smile and then turned to address a modestly covered Insoo, “They saved us.”

Insoo glanced around as he nodded in agreement at the obvious and made a hesitant sound of acknowledgement. “I think they saved everyone,” he added appreciatively.

“No,” Gain laughed once with a nod towards the outside world. “The lightning.”

It took a moment for the comment to register and then Insoo blinked in surprise with a quick inhale. “Really?!”

Taekwoon tried to wave off Insoo’s wide eyed stare while Jinki shrugged in mild confusion. But Gain simply smiled and nodded. “I’m not sure how, but I smelled you in the char,” she murmured, reaching out to brush the backs of her fingers against Taekwoon’s cheek.

A copper outline rose up and preened under the attention. _I protect home and rider protect friends._

Gain noticed Taekwoon’s hand tighten on Jinki’s but she kept her attention settled on his face instead. “Tiamat… let us go,” he started to say before his brows furrowed and he shook his head. It wasn’t quite right. “No. I think… she pushed us to go.”

The copper head tilted and Jonghyun grumbled softly. _Father wanted to kill everyone. Mother wanted to save. She… tried to help everyone._

“How… did this happen? I mean, what happened?” Insoo asked, stepping a little closer with obvious awe and concern on his face. It was clear he was happy to see his friends, but it was also apparent that things were a little overwhelming.

“A lot,” Jinki spoke up, clasping Taekwoon’s hand in both of his. “We’re still trying to get everything sorted,” he shrugged with a helpless look.

_I try explain, but no have all the words,_ Jongup admitted as he rose up from Jinki’s body, his head like an extension of the human’s.

“And why are Jonghyun and Jongup _in_ you?” the wing leader couldn’t help but ask, brows scrunched together in confusion.

“Well…” Taekwoon trailed off hesitantly, glancing at Jinki and then looking away.

Gain took a quiet breath and shook her head before she motioned for Gunwoo to come closer. “Why don’t you talk to Insoo and we’ll speak with Jonghyun and Jongup to help get things sorted.”

“Good idea,” Jinki smiled, reaching up to brush at Jongup’s ghostly form as if giving permission for the blue to step outside. Jonghyun did the same with Taekwoon, though they both remained connected with their tails apparently acting as anchors. Nor did they solidify when they stepped free. The pair were still very much translucent.

With a quick breath, Gain shifted back into her dragon form and stood shoulder to shoulder with Gunwoo. While the humans recounted what they knew, the dragons spoke with all the tools of communication at their disposal, allowing the two experienced dragons to piece things together bit by bit. Between the combination of draconic sounds, Trance speak, and body language, their stories were not unlike riding the winds during a storm: she felt all manner of positive and negative emotions and had to work to keep them separate from simply listening.

They had all gone through so much. She’d thought the dragons at Tiamat’s Aerie had been hurting. And they had, but this… When the copper and blue were finally finished, both the gold and bronze moved close to nuzzle the pair, offering what wordless support they could. _I’m proud of both of you,_ she murmured for their hearing only.

They responded in kind. _Not sure what to say,_ Jonghyun shrugged first, glancing uncertainly at his wing leader.

_Happy but sad too,_ Jongup added, leaning against his mate for comfort.

The gold bumped their heads again and exhaled. _You have done enough, brave ones. I will explain from here._

_I can help too,_ Gunwoo offered, sitting on his haunches and looking between the three.

_It would help me if you could tell the others,_ Gain encouraged, swinging her head around to bump it against the bronze’s lightly.

_But I would have to go,_ he explained unhappily.

_Yes, but wouldn’t it be better if their wing leader could deliver the news? And your rider can tell the humans just as well,_ the Paramour reasoned evenly. _They at least need to be told that Tiamat and Bahamut are no threat anymore._

Gunwoo wrinkled his nose, the skin over his teeth pulling up just a touch at the end of his mouth. _You’re not wrong there,_ he admitted with a sigh. _Fine. But you had best look after my wing mates in my stead,_ he commanded, the effect slightly less serious when he huffed once in a weak laugh.

At last, all four dragons turned to regard their humans. It wasn’t terribly surprising to see the three looking at them with curious interest. _Have you learned the story?_ Gunwoo asked as he approached Insoo easily.

“I think so,” the wing leader nodded. “Why?”

_Because we have an Aerie to inform,_ his dragon practically grinned, snatching up his rider and jumping out of Trance with all the haste he could muster. Insoo’s startled yelp lasted half a breath before they were gone and then Jinki and Taekwoon were left looking confused.

When they looked back at Gain for answers, she took a breath and shifted back to her human form, her face carefully guarded as she approached them. Both Jonghyun and Jongup returned to settle at their rider’s sides, watching the Paramour expectantly. “It is probably best that we speak alone.” Taekwoon’s face darkened at the words and Jinki’s fell slightly. “I will tell you what your dragons have said, but you must listen in full.”

Taekwoon wrinkled his nose, much like Gunwoo had a moment before, and exhaled once. “It’s not like there’s all that much we can do,” he muttered, expression softening when Jinki placed his hand on Taekwoon’s shoulder and gave a light squeeze.

“On the contrary,” Gain shook her head as she looked between the two humans. “That is where you are wrong.”

Curiosity officially piqued, both Taekwoon and Jinki exchanged glances and then looked at the gold with wary wonder. “Why is that?” Jinki asked first, taking the lead this time.

Gain smiled. “Because. At least for now. You are both gods.” The sheer dumbfounded surprises on both of their faces nearly made the Paramour laugh. But she didn’t. Not for this. Not when there was another side to the coin.

“We’re listening,” Taekwoon promised, giving her a slow nod and his full attention. Jinki seemed as if he was still overwhelmed by the idea but the dragonrider may have been able to feel or sense that something else was there too.

As it turned out, Jongup had been hiding a fair bit of information from his rider. Oh, he didn’t do it maliciously, but when it came to Tiamat, he hadn’t really had a chance to figure out the boundaries she wanted to set or not. Nor had he really been able to confirm if she’d had the humans’ best interest at heart either, so he didn’t want to seem as if he’d betrayed anyone by saying something he shouldn’t have at a bad time.

She had told him first that their bodies had died. The silver dragon had perished with them when they crashed into the water and she had simply taken them into her, much like Jinki had been absorbed into Bahamut. Jongup thought it might have been part of her plan but she promised it was the only way to accomplish what needed to be done. And because she promised him that, if they succeeded, it would save his mate and his humans, he was happy to help, even if it meant not telling Taekwoon about what he was doing. Tiamat was probably right in that the rider would not trust her. She had told him not to anyway…

So Tiamat had given Jongup a rune for hiding. Gain pointed out the hidden rune at the base of Jongup’s wing, much to Taekwoon’s irritation. Though he couldn’t argue against its effectiveness. It allowed them to sneak into Bahamut’s Trance space after all. As Tiamat had explained, she couldn’t enter on her own. Not without a great deal of struggle. Just like Bahamut could not enter her space on his own. Not without permission and that was something neither was likely to grant. Whichever space they entered, that dragon would have the advantage. And that was why Tiamat needed so much help. That was why she gambled that Bahamut’s arrogance would be enough to let them live. That their bonds would be strong enough to bring them together. That their desire to protect everyone they cared about would be powerful enough to bring the change that was necessary.

Five separate bodies would never be stronger than five wills together with one purpose. At least not in Trance. And that was why she had needed their will as much as she’d needed her own. But Tiamat also knew that even if she succeeded, it might not be enough to end things. So she needed Jongup again. She needed someone to stay on the outside, untouched by the magic she’d worked in that moment. The fact that he’d bonded with Jinki again hadn’t been planned for, but since he had, it made them both stronger in the wake of the final calm.

“And so, her last gift to you was giving you the powers of their godhood. But,” Gain explained, holding up a single finger in warning. “It is also a test.” She winced slightly and took a small breath. “Tiamat was a dragon, first and foremost. You are both humans. If she’d had a choice, she would have bestowed her power to dragons instead.” Her golden eyes darted between Jonghyun and Jongup with a wry smile. “Your dragons said no.”

Taekwoon literally swayed on his feet as he looked at his copper. “Jong…” he whispered, turning to look at the blue next.

_Mate’s idea,_ Jonghyun nodded with pride and satisfaction.

_No want to be gods. Just want mate. And rider,_ Jongup nodded, extending his head over Jinki and Taekwoon so that he could bump his nose against Jonghyun’s. The copper rumbled in a pleased response while the riders tried to accept what they’d heard.

Jinki stepped closer to his other half and slipped his arm around the rider’s waist, holding him steady. “So what’s the test?” he asked, glancing at Taekwoon to make sure he wasn’t going to try and fall or anything.

Gain grimaced and looked down slightly. “It’s not for me to say,” she admitted with a slight shake of her head. “Part of her final test is that you figure it out.”

“But… what if we can’t?” Jinki wondered immediately, worry making his brow furrow.

“I don’t know,” the Paramour shook her head again. “Tiamat did not say.”

“Was there… did she… was there anything else she said?” Taekwoon stumbled, obviously trying to wrap his head around everything.

Once more, Gain grimaced and scratched at her head. “Sort of. It wasn’t a spoken message so much, but more of a feeling or like an imprint,” she tried to explain. It wasn’t something she’d experienced before, but considering it had been shared from Jongup who had received it from Tiamat, she had no reason to doubt it. The dragon gods made many things possible. Especially in Trance. She waved her hands trying to recall the order of the meaning. “It roughly translates to something like, ‘You can’t recall or remake true life but the wonders of the world are otherwise yours to command.’”

“That’s it?” Jinki asked, seeing the confusion on Taekwoon’s face.

Gain nodded in confirmation and shrugged. “But… from what Jongup said about your last moments with her…” she started to say, face softening as she looked between the four and lingering just a touch long on Taekwoon when a pair of amber eyes gleamed briefly from within. “I do think she felt you might know what to do now.”

“No,” Taekwoon shook his head with a worried look. “At least not yet.” He swallowed once and took a breath before meeting Jinki’s earnest eyes. “But I think we might be able to at least not make things worse.”

“That would be a start,” Gain agreed, gesturing with her hand. “And you do have at least a _little_ time to think about it,” she added, trying to give some kind of hint. By the way Taekwoon’s eyes focused on hers, she figured he might have caught it. Good. That was something at least.

_We have much to think about,_ Jonghyun offered from Taekwoon’s side.

_Much to do!_ Jongup echoed, body swaying in nervous excitement.

“Yes, we do. But first,” Jinki called, drawing the gold’s attention to him. “What does the outside world look like?”

“It might be better if you see for yourself. The battle of the dragon gods left many scars,” Gain shrugged with a pained look.

Taekwoon glanced down at his free hand, the one that wasn’t still holding onto Jinki’s, and he made a loose fist. “If we have the power to remake certain things, perhaps those would be good places to start.”

“I agree,” Gain smiled, the expression slightly sad but mostly proud. It filled her heart with joy that their first thought upon understanding the power they had was to help. Of course she had great faith in them anyway, but this moment encouraged her all the same.

It was growing late when Gain left and allowed Taekwoon and Jinki to really begin settling into their new forms. Being a dragon wasn’t such a stretch for the rider, but for Jinki, who had never actually changed in Trance, it was… disorienting. At least Jongup was there to help, though the dragon god’s injuries did extend to the real world. Sight in his left eye was limited and his right wing was mostly immobile. Tiamat’s body had faired better but it was stiff and achy, reluctant to move. And so the first night was simply spent adjusting and climbing out of the depression they’d ended up in.

As much as they’d wanted to get started immediately, the reality of their situation quickly caught up to them. Gain stayed close to watch over the pair, but really, they found themselves to be… tired. Home called but they had no will to answer. The desire to see friends and make sure they were well hummed in the back of their mind, but after everything they’d been through, it wasn’t enough to rally them from a night of hard earned sleep. Once more, the black and silver dragons curled up together, wings overlapping and necks and tails intertwined, at peace now that their mates were with them once more. When dawn came again, finally they were ready. Still unsure about the nature of the test and worried they might fail, but ready for the day.

After a quite conversation, the humans and their dragons decided to try something relatively small. Never mind that the depression they’d made was enormous, the thought of fixing it seemed doable. Relatively speaking anyway. With plenty of nervous energy, Taekwoon and Jinki moved to stand on the edge, their wings and tails touching.

“So. How do we do this?” Jinki asked, the voice coming from Bahamut’s mouth very much not the human’s but the words were and that was all that mattered.

Taekwoon took a breath and shrugged slightly before Jonghyun answered for him. “Will. You will it to happen.” The fact that they had a female voice in this body didn’t seem to bother him in the slightest.

“Like Trance?” his rider asked with a sudden thought.

“Yes.”

“I see,” Taekwoon smiled, the expression translating to a strange almost grimace on the black dragon’s face. “Let me try,” he murmured, nodding at Jinki who simply shrugged in acceptance. Taking a breath and focusing on the hole, Taekwoon pushed the earth to move, imagining the soil rising up to even out the barren land. He flinched when he felt power stir, like he was a spider in the middle of an enormous web and the strands were each connected to every other part of the world.

“Trance,” Jonghyun explained to him, the word carrying to Jinki but for his rider’s ears mostly.

“Oh wow,” Taekwoon blinked, letting the unsettling feeling wash over him before he took another breath and sank into his thoughts once more. This time, he let the sensation flow through him, pouring out from a seemingly never empty vase as it filled the space he wanted to change and then… altered it. He felt Jinki’s surprised inhale and grinned as the ground rose up like water filling a void.

“You did it!” Jinki beamed, a true smile somehow appearing on the silver dragon’s face. “Can you teach me?” he asked next, sidling even closer with a focused look at the still barren land.

“I’ll try,” Taekwoon laughed once, wrapping a wing over the silver body like an arm holding his other half close. It was a blissfully normal feeling in an otherwise extraordinary moment, and it grounded him firmly in the now. Whether they failed or not, they still had each other for at least a little while.

Under Taekwoon’s tutelage, and with some gentle nudging from Jongup, Jinki was able to bring growth back to the dead space. Grass and trees sprouted at impossibly fast speeds, returning it to a semblance of the way it had been. “It’s amazing,” he sighed, leaning hard against the black dragon’s body for close contact.

“Yeah,” Taekwoon agreed, though his sights were set on the dragon himself, and the man within. He could feel Jonghyun’s quiet agreement as well and they both savored the shared knowledge of what they were truly focused on.

Jinki looked up with wondrous hope in his silver eyes. “We really can fix things here can’t we?” he exclaimed, raising his head to bump it against Taekwoon’s.

“Yeah,” the rider answered with a warm fuzzy feeling in his chest. It was dampened only slightly when a familiar but unexpected voice emerged.

_Taekwoon. Must speak with dragons. Must ask what they want,_ his inner dragon pressed determinedly.

The rider flinched at the reminder, and he shook himself quickly. It wasn’t that he’d forgotten but he knew the dragon had spoken because he’d immediately been thinking about the Aerie. But the Aerie he knew was not the one that _everyone_ would need… _You’re right,_ he reassured his inner dragon, soothing the creature quickly. He turned his focus back to Jinki and smiled. “Now that we know what we _can_ do, we should probably meet everyone again.”

“I agree,” his other half responded without hesitation. “Just because I don’t have _my_ body doesn’t mean I shouldn’t still try to be at least something of an Aerie Master,” he explained with a forced laugh. Taekwoon knew it was supposed to be light and playful, but that was one change that was not so easy to simply brush off.

“Come on, my heart,” he urged, giving the silver dragon a gentle shoulder shove before they started walking back towards the Aerie. Jinki couldn’t fly and Taekwoon didn’t mind the slow path anyway. It would give them more time to just be together and probably keep the dragons and humans at the Aerie from worrying too much when they did show up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So if I'm right, there should be two more chapters. I had intended for this to be the next to last but then a few more things came up and I figured I'd need to wrap a couple loose ends up that wouldn't have worked as well with ending here. So please sit tight and hopefully you'll look forward to the last little bits of the story. Thank you for reading! I'd love to know your thoughts at this point, but if not, I appreciate your staying with me on this journey all the same. ^_^


	70. A New World

Home… was not like they remembered. The top of the mountain had been mostly destroyed and painted with the char of burnt rock and debris. Below, it was a scattered mess of ruined boulders and shattered trees and ground. But, for all the destruction, the living heart of the Aerie turned out to greet Taekwoon and Jinki upon their arrival.

Even forewarned, nearly all the humans were in awe of the dragon gods’ appearance. The dragons themselves also seemed slightly overwhelmed. For a moment, everyone merely stood still. Taekwoon and Jinki let them look and the Aerie members had time enough to decide how to feel, at least initially.

Jinki glanced at Taekwoon and when the black dragon nodded, he lowered his head to be level with the ground and murmured, “We’re home.”

“Jinki?” a nervous and slightly bandaged Dongwan asked as he approached cautiously with his dragon in tow. A skittish Minwoo kept tilting his silver head from side to side and blinking at the newcomers, wary but hopeful.

“Yes. Sorry we worried you,” the changed Aerie Master smiled, keeping his teeth covered as much as possible when he spoke.

Wide eyed and nearly breathless, the Dragon Master laughed once and ran his fingers through messy hair. “Insoo mentioned but…” he began, shaking his head in wonder. “How?” he asked, glancing over his shoulder and motioning that it was alright.

Listening in, the rest of the Aerie gave a tentative but collective sigh of relief as Dongwan confirmed what they hoped, and small groups of conversation rose up almost immediately. It was clear many wanted to come closer but it was hard to reconcile what they saw with what they knew and most were still hesitant.

“It’s a long story,” Jinki snorted once, the gust of air ruffling Dongwan’s hair and clothes. “We’ll be happy to explain later, of course. But first,” he added, lifting his head slowly to look back at Taekwoon again. “What can we do to help right now?”

“Oh. Uh… what can you do?” Dongwan asked, reflexively looking up at what remained of their home before glancing at the mostly whole cave they’d been staying in.

“Almost anything,” the silver dragon responded confidently. But he looked at the mountain too and the silver eyes narrowed. “We can rebuild our home, but I think we need to talk about it first.”

“Very good idea,” the dirt smudged and worn Combat Master Seunghyun agreed with a sage nod as he approached. It was worth noting that Master of Theology Sunny was confidently at his side, her head not even reaching his shoulder. She too was dirt stained and obviously tired, but other than an odd scratch or two, unharmed.

“I agree,” a very weary but whole Dragon Healer Hyesung concurred as he approached with measured steps and critical eyes. “There is much that can be considered for change,” he murmured, offering a rare smile as he looked upon the dragon god’s body with sad appreciation.

“Where is Wing Leader Insoo?” Taekwoon asked, glancing over the gathered crowd and not seeing the missing dragons yet.

“Oh. He left to rejoin the returning dragons,” Dongwan explained quickly, gesturing towards the direction of Talongrace.

“Hmm,” the black dragon sighed before turning to nudge Jinki’s head. “I will retrieve them, my heart. You… do what you do best,” he smiled, letting their tails intertwine briefly to extend the physical contact.

Jinki nodded in understanding and stuffed his head under Taekwoon’s jaw, cuddling close. “Come back soon,” he murmured, letting Taekwoon go with quiet reluctance before he turned his attention back to the people of the Aerie.

“I will,” Taekwoon promised while he stepped around the survivors carefully. He made sure he was far enough away from them that when he flapped to fly, the wind wouldn’t disturb them too much. Jonghyun assured him they were far enough away and then they were off.

While Jinki huddled with the Masters of the Aerie and began general discussions, Taekwoon easily flew to pick up the surviving stragglers making their slow and weary way back home. He didn’t have to go far. They were almost there anyway. But none argued when he offered his back for them to ride upon. All of the dragons could settle easily on the available space, and if the riders seemed a bit overawed, their companions had no such problems. Though Taekwoon didn’t miss the way that Chaerin stared, her face a myriad of conflicting emotions. But at least she had apparently reconciled with Fei. The two were as close as possible, pressing hard against each other.

When they returned to the Aerie, discussions stopped entirely for most of the day. Dragons and riders were reunited and for the first time since the dragon gods had awoken, everyone was starting to feel real bits of hope and happiness. Despite what needed to be done, the occasion was cause for celebration. Though neither Taekwoon nor Jinki could create food, they could at least ‘guide’ some in their direction. It was cheating of course, but with the influx of relatively sparse wildlife in the area, everyone – the dragons _and_ humans – could finally eat a full meal.

Throughout the day, pairs of dragons and riders came by to thank Taekwoon specifically. Yunho and Hero were a pleasant surprise. The simple ‘Thank you,’ was not unexpected but it was appreciated. While the new Commander didn’t say anything else, from him, it was enough. The sheer gratitude and chagrin in his eyes spoke volumes.

But he was glad to see Jiho and the practically radiantly ruby N back together for sure. He also felt a special joy at the reunion of Hyoyeon and Donghae; the blue’s exuberance carried over and he apparently insisted on carrying her on his back everywhere together. Their first interactions had always stayed with him as Taekwoon had continued his training. Even Wonshik and Aron got their dragons back, the brief nature of their pairing lacking any effect on the joy of their reunion.

There were other riders and dragons aplenty that were not able to share in the celebration, but while they didn’t share in the happiness of the others, they were finally able to grieve. Or be mad. Or upset… but they were given the chance for closure. And if some leveled particularly dark looks at Taekwoon, he didn’t take offense. He couldn’t blame them. He hadn’t been able to save those they wished for, and worse, he and Jinki wore the bodies of those largely responsible for their losses. He was none too happy about it either, but right now, there was nothing to be done for it. They couldn’t hurt him and he couldn’t help them in any way that would matter.

When the festivities finally started to die down, the general fatigue of what they’d all experienced sank in and most people and dragons had no trouble with falling asleep under the strangely peaceful sky. In the general quiet, when Aerie brothers and sisters stayed close for comfort, pairs cuddled, and others grouped together in mixed dragon piles, Taekwoon and Jinki watched over them all. They were tired in a human sense, their minds struggling to keep up with everything that had changed, but their dragon bodies were not. The dragon gods needed far less sleep than their children did.

None of them were particularly surprised when they had a late night visitor. That was in part because Jonghyun and Jongup warned them someone was coming, but the fact that it was Chaerin was almost expected. Fei trailed along at her back like a golden shadow, but she hunched down small, trying to avoid notice as they approached. The black and silver dragons exchanged looks, Taekwoon and Jongup sharing a brief moment of understanding.

“You don’t have to be afraid, Fei,” Taekwoon promised the gold, making her and her rider freeze at being singled out.

_But… this happened to you because of me,_ she explained, head still bowed and wings clapped tight to her body.

Even though he’d been experiencing it all day with several other dragons, the sudden communication via Trance without actually being in Trance still caught Taekwoon off guard. He saw Chaerin stop and move back to place her hand on the gold dragon’s shoulder in quiet support. As a dragon, of sorts, Taekwoon responded in kind. _It wasn’t your fault. And I don’t blame you for what happened,_ he promised, silver eyes meeting her gold ones and holding firm.

_Would have done same,_ Jonghyun echoed with an inherent nod in the words.

_But…_

Taekwoon and Jonghyun shook their heads at the same time, making Chaerin, who wasn’t privy to the conversation, jump. _She is your rider. She is yours and you are hers. So you do what you must to protect her._

 _Like me,_ Jongup suddenly added, his voice seeming to pop up out of nowhere.

Fei ducked her head and nuzzled at her rider for a few heartbeats. But her words were for the dragon gods again. _The others are still worried. Some still blame me, blame Chaerin… for what happened,_ she admitted without looking up.

_We will tell them,_ Taekwoon and Jinki spoke up together, their dragon heads turning to look at each other with mutual understanding. _Just take care of your rider,_ Taekwoon urged. _She will need it._ Even if they did blame the pair for their situation, it was one more thing they couldn’t change now. Putting the burden on them would only hurt more people in the long run. At this point, whose fault it was didn’t matter.

“I thought you died,” Chaerin whispered in a shaky voice as she hugged Fei’s head close. Her bottom lip trembled and her knees appeared to be shaking but she was at least facing them head on.

“We did,” Taekwoon shrugged. “Just… not completely.”

Chaerin looked down, her hand still moving rhythmically over Fei’s nose. “I really did want to protect you.”

Her admission made Taekwoon smile and he felt Bahamut’s good wing slide over to rest along the top of his back. “I appreciate the thought.”

She glanced up and then down again as she mumbled, “I’m sorry.” Her hand gestured at the general space around them. “For everything.” She took a breath and lifted her head to stare at the dragon’s feet. “For this.” Her hand rose to gesture at his draconic body. “For my father.” Her face took on a true expression of disgust. “For me,” she added, the emotion shifting into sadness and guilt.

Taekwoon hunkered down low and placed his head in front of Chaerin, turning so that he could look at her with one large eye. “Chaerin…” he trailed off, not really sure what to say. But he glanced over with his other eye when Jinki mirrored him and looked at her from Bahamut’s good eye.

“Many things could have been done differently,” he whispered, the warm breath from his words ruffling her clothes and hair. “But now, all we can do is accept what has happened and try to move forward. We _are_ alive, Chaerin. Maybe not in the way we’d hoped, but we aren’t gone. And you and Fei are alive. You’re free to find your own place now. You don’t have to run or hide anymore,” he murmured, carefully reaching forward to nudge his nose against her body.

She laughed once at the sheer absurdity of their size difference and then covered her face with one hand. “It’s not fair,” she cried softly, her other hand staying anchored around Fei’s nose as she hugged her tight. Neither Jinki nor Taekwoon could argue with that so they didn’t. They let the words hang and then fall as Chaerin cried and then got hold of herself. “What will you do now?” she finally asked, letting go of Fei’s nose but leaning against the gold dragon’s chest.

Both dragon gods shrugged. “Try to change things for the better,” Taekwoon offered with a shake of his head.

“We’re not sure yet,” Jinki explained with an equally uncertain shrug. “Though we’ll probably need your help to figure it out. Everyone’s actually,” he smiled, blowing another gust of warm air over her.

Chaerin laughed once again and then nodded, wiping at the corners of her eyes with the back of her hand. “I don’t know how I can help, but I will try,” she promised shakily, the conviction of her words earnest, even if the sound was not.

_We will try,_ Fei echoed, raising an arm to hug Chaerin carefully against her body.

“Good,” Jinki and Taekwoon responded together. It was easy to remake things – the depression, the lost growth in the area, the general debris… But they doubted it would be so easy to agree on changes that would be good for _everyone_ – man and dragon.

After Chaerin and Fei left, the five beings in the bodies stayed up and set their wills to at least making minor changes while everyone slept. They banished the worst of the debris, cleansed the mountain of any lingering magics – blood or otherwise – and made small adjustments to the cave so that it would be stronger and longer lasting. Though large in nature, they were truly small things. It was when everyone awoke that the real work could begin.

For days, Jinki and Taekwoon spoke with the Masters and the dragons of the Aerie. They knew their home needed to be rebuilt, but how was the question. Everyone had ideas of course, but there was limited space and for those who didn’t have dragons, they had to be reminded of the dragons’ needs and desires. They needed dormitories and study halls and a library space and the Aerie Masters office again. Seunghyun informed them they needed to remember the combat training facilities, just in case. Hyesung lobbied for better healing halls and more space. So did Paramour Heechul – and Gain for that matter. Yunho and Hero reminded them for the dragon body that the dragons needed – or rather wanted – better homes. Caves were alright, but they wouldn’t mind more options in the caves. Or at least better beds. Stone ground worked but raised or sunken surfaces and different textures called to different dragons.

Everyone agreed that better bathing facilities, for dragons and humans, would not be amiss. And Daehyun wanted a better office for trade and commerce discussion while Youngjae wished for a better study lab. The general vendors and trade workers also voiced their wishes for either more permanent settings or at least more amenities and supplies to better serve the Aerie. The Aerie runners mentioned it wouldn’t hurt to have back passages to make getting through the Aerie itself easier and most of them were in agreement that for the shared livestock pens, they needed better storage of food and water availabilities. Master Cook Junjin also asked for similar changes for the kitchen and pantries.

After working up her courage, Chaerin also reminded them of the previous Aerie they’d seen and prompted them to consider dragon oriented changes like a nesting ground and nursery for future generations. The same could be said for their human counterparts too. Taekwoon was glad she’d brought it up. His inner dragon approved and he concurred. This time, they wanted to build a future that could thrive on its own.

When they weren’t discussing how to change the Aerie, Master Historian Kibum, with Amber ever at his side, helping to write down information and make sure he didn’t get too absorbed in his work, was hounding them with questions about what had happened; what their true history was; if everything was a lie… One could also be sure that Scribe Jolin was there too, fingers stained with ink and her hair messily tied in a bun to keep it out of her face while she juggled various blank scrolls for additional recording purposes.

Outside of that, Master Dongwan and a group of volunteers also made their first foray to Miremaw to see the situation there. Not long after, they also received a dragon messenger – one Ryeowook on Yesung from Kokoshir asking about assistance and wanting more information regarding what had happened. With the outside world intruding, it became obvious that Jinki and Taekwoon needed to start looking outward too. But first…

At long last, the plans for the Aerie were completed to everyone’s general satisfaction. No large scale project could be truly perfect, but what they’d come up with was as close as many figured it could be. Together, Jinki and Taekwoon took their places at opposite ends of the mountain. Looking at each other over the mound of broken earth, they extended their wings to encompass their desired working space – two black wings and one silver. With a nod, they focused their eyes on the earth to be shaped and focused.

Under their collective wills, a new Aerie rose from the ashes of the old. In the heart of the space, they formed a main building for future Aerie Masters and those who would help run the day to day affairs of the Aerie itself. Masters’ quarters and offices were carved from stone and built upwards in three floors, leaving plenty of rooms for growth. Around the leadership building, a circle of roads outlined where stalls could be erected for vendors, currently empty buildings for multipurpose uses, and a fortified road leading down the mountain to Miremaw, which would make travel and trading easier.

They reformed the dragon fields and created new caves with varied designs, catering to the different desires of the dragons. A spring was pulled up and a small pond formed to allow for fresh water at all times. The pond could drain, by way of a sluice gate system, to a larger pool in the middle of the clearing for swimming and bathing purposes. On the other side of the open space, a new livestock pen was formed with a shelter carved into the mountain. Another small pond was pulled up to make fresh water available at all times.

Near the front of the Aerie, trade buildings were risen for leatherworks, metal works, scroll making, and a couple empty buildings for expansion. On the opposite side, nestled further in the rising spires of the mountains themselves, they crafted a nesting ground, open to the sun but insulated by stone and filled with sand to better hold future eggs. Connected to it was a nursery space for new dragonlings to live in after hatching and an open area for them to play and fly in after that. To the left of the nesting grounds, they created dormitories, a much larger kitchen, with an underground storage area that was next to a water reservoir that would help keep things cool, and learning halls. The combat station had an opening above ground, but there was an underground salle that was illuminated by a mirror system that allowed for more private drills and exercises.

To the left of the entrance, a similar sized shrine was erected for general worship, though no dragon statues were added. Next to that was a larger healing hall with more bed space and a dragon wing added for treating dragon patients specifically. Continuing in that vein, the Paramour quarters had an open view of the sky on their side and a handful of rooms with better privacy and more space for individualization. As for any other amenities, they were added as needed for the time being. If nothing else, this was a good start to see if it would work and both Jinki and Taekwoon were in agreement with adding a rune of protection to strengthen the general defenses of their home. Once they confirmed it was what they wanted and no changes needed to be made, they could add a rune of permanency as well.

Once home was remade, the Aerie residents moved back in and life started to return to normal. For them at least. For Jinki and Taekwoon, the world at large was not where it should be just yet. They had other tasks to attend to, and since Jinki could not fly, it meant that Taekwoon would have to work on the problems Bondsland was suffering from.

“Heavens watch over you,” Jinki whispered, butting his head under Taekwoon’s chin as they prepared to separate for a time.

“And you,” he murmured back, pushing his jaw down to hug Jinki’s head against his neck. “I’ll be back as soon as I can,” he promised, moving away enough so that they could meet each other’s eyes.

And so Taekwoon took to the skies to fly to Bondsland while Jinki walked over the breadth of Kinshire. The former remains of Tiamat’s Aerie needed to be fixed, in more ways than one. There was also the southern city of Calinth that needed to be rebuilt after the water wall destroyed it. Not to mention the general damage caused by the dragon gods as well.

None of it was particularly difficult to ‘fix,’ but while he was traveling, he did begin to encounter confused wild dragons. They recognized Tiamat’s form but didn’t know how to react accordingly. Jonghyun explained it as best he could. _They fight to know who they are. Bahamut and Tiamat waking make more things possible. Not know what though. More thinking, but not know how._

 _Hmm…_ Taekwoon thought to himself. He would need to talk to Jinki about this. The bonded dragons were only one half of the equation. They needed to do something about the other half too.

As best he could, he thought on it while he worked. Repairing the land; rebuilding cities; soothing worried dragons… For a short time, it felt almost like there was too much to do. And also not enough time… Taekwoon could feel it, like the draining of sand in an hourglass. It was slow at first. Nearly imperceptible. But as the days went on, a general tiredness began to set in. Nothing strong or wholly obvious. Just enough to make him aware things were changing. Jonghyun could feel it too and his inner dragon seemed to be more quiet than usual. It felt… like he was aging at a much faster rate than he should be.

For the time being, he pushed it out of his mind and continued his work. For almost three sevendays, he searched and changed and created a new world on Bondsland with more villages and more Aeries that were just waiting to be filled. The dragons had no solution yet, but he had an idea. It was simply one he would need to broach with Jinki.

When he returned to Kinshire, and home, his heart was gladdened to see that the Aerie was doing well. Jinki seemed to have made some minor changes, as per requested, but overall, the design appeared to be working. But he could see it in his mate’s eyes – the same general tiredness he was beginning to contend with. Part of him raged against it – the consequence of a mere human becoming a god – but the other part accepted, albeit reluctantly, that this was probably part of Tiamat’s test. For Jinki though, he put on a brave face and approached the silver dragon easily.

“I’m home,” he announced, twining necks with his mate.

“Welcome back,” the silver dragon murmured, pressing close with all the joy his body could muster. “How was it?”

“It was fine,” Taekwoon promised as he used his wings to hug Jinki. “Though we do need to talk about the wild dragons.”

“Oh good,” Jinki laughed in relief while he melted into the warm embrace. “I was wondering about them too.” He took a deep breath and relaxed harder against his mate’s body. “Though maybe a nap would be a good idea first.”

Taekwoon hid his worry and forced a smile he didn’t entirely feel. “Sure, my heart. A nap sounds good.”

As Jinki, and Jongup, fell asleep at their feet, Jonghyun murmured, _Time grows shorter._

 _I know,_ Taekwoon sighed, moving his head to nuzzle at the silver dragon’s head.

_What will you do?_

 _I don’t know yet,_ he admitted with a shake of his head. He really didn’t, but that was no reason not to pass up the opportunity to simply lie down with his mate and share in some quality sleeping time. So he did.

But as the days went on and they both felt more and more tired, even Jinki realized that something was amiss. “We’re dying aren’t we?” he wondered, pressing close to the black dragon’s body.

“We were only ever living on borrowed time,” Taekwoon admitted with a small grimace. “We both know we should have died some time ago.”

Jinki took a breath and nodded in mute agreement. “I don’t deny that, but… it would have been nice to know.”

_Wanted to say,_ Jongup offered in an unhappy and tired voice.

_Part of Tiamat’s test,_ Jonghyun added quietly.

“I know,” Taekwoon soothed, leaning against Jinki that much more. “We’re not done yet, but we’ve made a good start,” he promised, feeling the agreement warmly from his inner and bonded dragons.

“Yes, we have,” Jinki smiled, the emotion like arms wrapping around Taekwoon in a warm hug. “But what do we do now?”

Taekwoon smiled and took a breath. “Enjoy the time we have left and go out with one last hurrah,” he chuckled, pressing Jinki’s body close with his wing.

“Yeah?” his mate asked with a soft smile.

“Yeah.”

For the span of four more sevendays, the dragon gods spent time at home. They watched as the Aerie began to return to the way it used to be, but better. In their opinion anyway. A new Aerie Master was chosen – Dongwan, not entirely surprisingly. He was most informed about the day to day affairs of the Aerie. That meant he had to choose a successor for Dragon Master quickly and he opted for Jiho, the outsider who never wanted to do what a leader wanted him to do but could always see the big picture. N was ecstatic for him.

Master Healer Mimi elevated Henry to full healer status and Himchan became an apprentice in full instead of just a trainee. Dragon Healer Hyesung finally chose a successor – everyone was slightly caught off guard by his choice of Jongin, but none could argue that the man had a surprisingly strong understanding of dragons, even if he didn’t have the healing part down exactly. Or at all for that matter, but no one could doubt his desire to keep Krystal safe and healthy and that helped fuel his desire to learn. Most of the advanced runners were elevated to trainees under the current Masters – like Sanghyuk, Joy, and Jimin – and Wonshik took over his position as Combat Master in training once more.

Communications and trade began to resume with Miremaw and Kokoshir. Wild dragons began making approaches to the Aeries and the surrounding countryside started on a path to normalcy as well. What was more, Junsu had begun to make a decent recovery and he expressed an interest in letting the rest of the followers of Bahamut and Tiamat know what had really transpired. He wasn’t better entirely and he certainly needed an escort, and caretaker, for the time being, but his thoughts were generally his own. Most of the time. He wasn’t sure the rest of the world was ready for it yet, but if he could reach the leaders of the people, they could start making steps in the right direction.

But really, the true miracle came when they started to hear about the whisperings of new life in the Aerie. It was still almost too early to confirm, but a couple people – and maybe a dragon or two - thought that maybe… they were pregnant. The news filled Taekwoon with an almost profound joy. It was not something he could share directly with his sleeping mate, but if it was true, then perhaps they had succeeded. Maybe, the change they hoped for could finally come about.

_My inner dragon is almost gone, isn’t he?_ Taekwoon wondered as he tried to look inward and found little left of his second half.

_Yes,_ Jonghyun replied quietly. His voice was tired and weary. _Time grows shorter._

 _I know._ He took a breath and exhaled as he laid his head down near Jinki’s, content to share in the time they had left. He was almost glad when he felt Gain approaching. The gold dragon looked much better for the rest and recovery time she had granted herself. She’d taken Krystal under her wing as a Paramour in training while her partner learned from Master Hyesung and it had done her a world of good to have someone else to focus on. But now… it was almost as if she knew something they didn’t.

_Gain,_ he smiled, speaking through Trance to his good friend and mentor.

_Taekwoon,_ she murmured back, warmth and sadness interwoven in her words. _You suspect don’t you?_ she offered, sitting on her haunches and wrapping her tail around her front feet in a familiar listening posture.

_I do,_ he nodded, shifting his head so that he was able to look at her directly with one silver eye.

_Are you scared?_ she asked, nudging his nose with hers.

_Not anymore,_ he assured her with the barest shake of his head. _I know what I want to do. I just… hope it’s the right thing._

She took a breath and looked towards the crescent moon. It was waning and would disappear in a few days time. _If anyone can figure something out that is good for everyone, I believe it is you, Taekwoon. Rider who is just as much dragon as man._

He nodded quietly for a breath and then exhaled as he focused on the gold once more. _Gain?_

 _Yes?_ she prompted, curious about his inquiry.

_Can I ask you for a favor?_ he wondered softly, his voice hesitant.

_Of course,_ she responded with no hesitation.

_It might be a big favor,_ he warned uncertainly.

_Taekwoon. Just tell me,_ she urged, sitting up straighter as she waited expectantly.

_Okay…_ he hummed, taking a breath as he explained what he hoped she would agree to.

Three days later, Taekwoon and Jinki departed in the middle of the night. A couple dragons and people saw them leaving, but no one really questioned them. Which was fine by them after all. Goodbyes were always harder. But since Jinki still couldn’t fly, Taekwoon walked by his side as they made their way to the sea connecting Bondsland and Kokoshir. On foot, it took them a little over a day while traveling at full speed and they waited until sunrise on the second day.

Only then did they walk into the cool waters and swim to the midpoint of the distance between their islands. Good wing to good wing, Taekwoon and Jinki began circling, swimming round and round, the perfect balance of black and silver when seen from a dragon’s eye view. As they swam, their wings began to change and shift. The humans in the bodies of gods willed their forms to become something new. Their fading dragons within them agreed with every part of their being.

Black and silver wound together like braided vines. The dragons began to lose their shapes as they merged, swirling and dancing in a mix of contrasting colors amidst the flowing waters. Together, they formed a loose ball that began to extend in either direction. From the center of the ball, light extended to the sky and to the bottom of the sea, connecting the heavens and the earth as one. Their physical forms stretched until they reached the edges of Bondsland and Kinshire.

The shifting mass of black and silver flattened out in a gentle arch that spanned the entirety of the sea, bridging the two lands together. Walls like wings rose up to frame the single pathway. And in the very center, bathed in the light from above and below, a human merged with a dragon statue rose on either side. Diagonally across from and facing each other, the two men clasped left hands over the divide while the dragons enshrouded them protectively with one right wing each.

Glowing light from the center separated, extending into the sky and into the sea. At the end of their destination, the light coalesced and exploded across the heavens and beneath the water, bathing the world in a luminescence and warmth that separated all life from the influence of the dragon gods, granting them the freedom of their own fates.

As the full sun rose above the horizon and cast her light upon the bridge and its eternal guardians, the light revealed that the figures were smiling, their faces turned to each other and together. The dragon gods, and their temporary surrogates, were no more.

With the parting gift of the gods, and the sacrifice of men and dragons, the future, at last, was in the hands of their children and them alone.

It was the dawn of a new world.

And as the sun crested over the horizon in a brief and blinding burst of light, a single whisper of sound emerged in that moment of perfection.

_Welcome home, my children. You did so well…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay. Gotta admit, that last line was not planned but it resonated with me so hard. T_T Gave myself chills. lol I can only hope that you enjoyed this final chapter - minus the epilogue which will be coming relatively shortly. If you have any questions about any final loose ends or things I didn't cover, please let me know. There was a lot going on and it's not always easy to keep track of everything. But thank you so much for reading and I hope you've enjoyed the story. If you'd like to stick around, I've got one more bonus chapter I've been planning for forever and it should be happy fluff. Probably. haha Thank you again and I hope you are all doing well!


	71. Epilogue

Jinkarim. That was what they’d renamed the Aerie after it had been formed anew. Jinki had been more than embarrassed but the general population had voted in favor and overruled him. There had been some debate about Satoru’s name being used but though he had been the catalyst for change, it was Jinki that had started to lead them forward, one way or another. It didn’t hurt that he’d literally become a god at the end, if only for a short while.

From the sky, the Aerie looked familiar and yet, oh so changed. Dragons and people filled the space and traveled through the air. Livestock lowed in the fenced off pens and children - oh so many children - cavorted through the grounds, laughing and playing and shrieking in delight. The food stall vendors were in full swing with savory scents of roasted meats and mouth watering sweet breads wafting through the air. That last one was definitely a hand me down recipe from Junjin. Others set up stalls temporarily to sell homemade goods and trinkets especially for days like today.

The Aerie was absolutely alive with life and for a very good reason. There had been a hatching this morning – an auspicious sign indeed on the day of a Symbiosis ceremony. She glanced at the nesting grounds in the rear heart of their home and felt warmth bubble up within her. So many memories. So much new life.

At the thought, movement in the corner of her eye made her look over to see a wing of mixed riders and dragons dancing in the sky. She smiled again at seeing a familiar presence among them. Though her protégé from the refounding days had since passed, Krystal’s presence lived on in her descendants. One of her daughters, a black dragon as well – with short, delicate horns and curlicue tipped wings, was certainly leading point among those in the air. Admittedly, neither she nor Krystal had intended to have a clutch at the time, but they were new to the changes in the Aerie and were among the first to welcome new life to their new home.

The same could be said of most of the other founders in turn. Looking downward again, she spied the great grandson of Seunghyun and Sunny. He was a bit young for his position, but Combat Masters ran in the family. His father was the recently retired Combat Master and he had just stepped into his position. As usual, he was making a final run of the grounds to make sure that everything was as it should be. One of their granddaughters had also been inducted into the Creationist Sect that rose after Tiamat’s passing. They followed a creative dogma that was just as much science as faith. Personally, she liked them better than the Order of the Silver Dragon. They weren’t bad exactly, but they were certainly pious and stodgy at the best of times. There were a couple other new orders that had popped up since then, but those were the primary ones. There was still a small shrine to Tiamat and Bahamut in the Aerie but neither was a prominent religious order anymore.

Angling closer to the dragon grounds, the gold dragon started to descend. A couple of her grandchildren were lounging in the sun and they opened amber and gold eyes to peer at her before taking a breath and settling further into sleep. Most of them had left for other Aeries and other cities – many had needed to with the initial population boom, but a couple remained at home. It always made her happy to see them. Just like the couple descendants of N, Gunwoo, and V in particular did as well. Speaking of V, she settled on the ground and paused to see if she could find Jungkook and Chaerin’s granddaughter. Oh, the relationship between them hadn’t lasted and she’d eventually gone to Dragon’s Nest, the Aerie that used to be Tiamat’s, but he had certainly helped her through a difficult time in her life.

The newly awakened wild dragons had claimed the Aerie first and their name had stuck despite attempts at the time to change it. She rather liked the sound of it herself. Granted, it could have been named Dirt and she would have been happy back then. It meant they were alive and growing and changing as they should. As she carefully walked through the Aerie, she could see signs of everyone she had lived with during that time as well. The leatherworks had Minsoo’s original designs all over them, and the metal works had Baekho’s worn and oft repaired sign hanging over it. Soohyun’s original vendor stall was still run by family, one generation after the next.

Looking at the Healer’s Hall, she could practically see Hyesung instructing on dragon care, though now it was a granddaughter of Henry and Jongin from different sides of the family. The gold watched her juggle an armful of medical supplies before two apprentices appeared almost out of nowhere to help her. They laughed together, off white robes and healer’s emblems clearly setting them apart as they headed for the nesting grounds.

As it was a ceremony day, the classes were all closed and students and Masters alike were out and about. There was one related to Amber and Kibum; one of Sandara’s descendants ran by with all the energy she’d usually showed; she glimpsed a great grandson of Wonshik and Hyosung – she had been a surprise child at the time; and there was also a descendant of Wooyoung and Taeyeon threading through the throng. As she raised her head to follow the weaving brunette, she became briefly entangled in a string of banners hanging into the main square.

For a moment, she tried to free herself surreptitiously but then she sighed as a human ran up to help her. “I’ve got it,” the young man beamed, the expression almost painfully reminiscent of Wing Leader Insoo.

She allowed him to clamber up her back, taking care to not bruise her aged but still lustrously golden skin. He shimmied up her neck and used her halo like horns to anchor himself as he unwound the banner from the inside and over the crescent crown like part. When freed, she lowered her head to set him on the ground gently and nodded in mute thanks.

“I swear, they put up more than the last time,” he laughed, running a familiar hand over her smooth neck. “You good now?” he asked, to which she purred in grateful agreement and nodded once more. “Okay. Well, take care then, Gain! I’ll see you in front of the nesting grounds!” he waved, hurrying off with youthful exuberance and excitement.

Gain watched him go and then padded along in his wake, moving slowly enough that humans would have time to get out of her path. Or to linger close enough to brush their fingers against her like she was a luck charm or in quiet reverence. She pulled her wings up higher to make sure they didn’t hit anyone on the ground, the shift revealing nearly translucent and gossamer esque webbing near the tips, like gold mesh fabric. She noticed appreciative gazes turning her way and preened proudly. No matter how often it happened, it still made her smile and reminded her very much of Taekwoon’s first reaction to seeing her changed form.

Speaking of Taekwoon… _Maybe,_ a quiet voice inside her hummed.

She smiled again and continued making her way to the nesting grounds. The entryway was clear and sunlight poured down into the center, warming the sands that had a few eggs waiting to hatch. The shells from the morning had been cleared away and the hatchlings had been guided to the nursery nearby. Outside, a motley selection of humans and dragons of all ages milled about, obviously waiting for the midday mark. They were the upcoming participants of the Symbiosis ceremony after all.

While she was glad for them, her sights were mostly focused on the entrance to the nursery. She’d been out with a younger wing when the hatchlings had emerged and she was hoping to see one in particular this time. Though she couldn’t help but let her eyes stray to a young silver in the group waiting for the ceremony to start. It seemed as if he felt her looking at him and turned towards her, briefly glancing behind him in confusion. When he nodded at her in acknowledgement, she smiled, which only confused him further. He ducked his head and Gain laughed to herself.

_Jonghyun,_ the small voice laughed, sharing in her amusement.

_Yes, but in this life, he is Changjo,_ she reminded him, happy all the same. And none too far from him was a moon-eyed copper that ran a bit on the small side for his color. He was from a later clutch and a couple years younger, but Jongup had not changed at all. Except in name of course. Now he went by Angel, because when he wasn’t staring at Changjo, he always looked happy.

Gain smiled at the copper and wandered closer to the nursery entrance so she wouldn’t be in the middle of everything. And she moved none too soon. In her wake, the heads of the Aerie approached with quiet aplomb. The current Aerie Master had married into the Dongwan family but she was a good sort. And the Dragon Commander was apparently a distant relative of Yunho. At least this one wasn’t quite as tense as his ancestor had been, though he did look quite serious all the same.

Patiently, and soon flanked by two of her grandchildren – another gold and a red – Gain watched at the Symbiosis ceremony began. In times past, bonding between dragons and riders had been forced and sealed with blood magic. Now, it was the dragons that chose whether they wanted to share their life with another human beyond just friends. Not unlike a hand fasting ceremony, it was a promise made between a dragon and a human to forever be one half of a whole. Unlike before, such a promise could be revoked as well, but such occurrences were rare and did not suffer the same painful repercussions as in the past. It still hurt, but more like a normal broken heart. Or so she’d been told.

Nevertheless, the ceremony went off with both dragons and humans speaking their affirmations aloud. Yes. In the time since the refounding, the newly born dragons had developed the ability to speak out loud, much as Tiamat and Bahamut had before they passed. It still sounded a little strange to human ears, but it was quite intelligible. Though one still needed Symbiosis to speak mind to mind. The actual promise was made in Trance while the spoken part was a formality for everyone else to witness.

And once the affirmations were complete, everyone cheered with throaty approval and then, at last, the dragonlings and hatchlings were allowed to come out and greet the newly bound pairs. A fledgling silver led them out with one of Jiho’s granddaughters at his side. She waved at Gain and the silver paused just a moment to look up at the much larger dragon. Oh, they knew each other, but it almost felt like he knew or recognized that she was someone _more_ than just the oldest living dragon in the Aerie.

_Onew,_ she smiled down at the youngling and he pranced in place, happy for the acknowledgment.

_Did you meet the babies yet, Lady Gain?_ he asked with a nod back towards the awkward and endearing hatchlings making their way into the grounds. Their mother and father – a bronze and a silver - were sitting sentries above, perched on the nesting ground top and keeping a watchful eye over everything.

_Not yet. I was showing your dragon mates how to fly when they decided to hatch,_ she winked with a glance at a couple similarly sized dragons nearby.

They noticed her attention and fluttered their wings as if to show her they remembered what to do. _We’ll do better next time!_ they promised in unison.

_Good,_ she nodded, keeping her amusement to herself as she eyed the nest mates.

_Oh! Here they come!_ Onew announced, turning around to keep a close eye on the newcomers. _Be careful of Leo in the rear. He’s a little shy._

Onew stepped aside to make room for the hatchlings to toddle their way past. Gain lowered her head and nuzzled each one as they came by, offering the same affection to the newest caretaker as well. He was short and grumpy at first glance, but a complete softy otherwise. As evidenced by his carrying a white dragon in his arms while a bronze bumped constantly against his thigh.

“Hey Gain,” he greeted with a nod, unable to wave for the wide eyed hatchling clinging to him.

Her granddaughter answered for her. “She says hello,” the gold smiled, nodding at him. “And hopes that you take good care of these newest younglings.”

“I’ll do my best!” he promised enthusiastically, wincing when a sharp claw dug into his shoulder. “Ow, ow, ow, ow!”

Gain blew a gust of warm dragon scented air over the hatchling and he calmed down immediately, blinking up at her with bright silver eyes. _Hi,_ he chirped with the mental voice.

_Hello little one. Be careful with your human, okay?_ she encouraged, nuzzling the tiny head with her nose as he chittered back.

“Thanks,” the caretaker grinned, petting the white dragon before he started moving forward again.

She nodded and then swung her head to the back where another caretaker, this one related somewhere along the line to Sanghyuk and Joy on different sides of the family, was bringing up the last of the stragglers. There were two – one black one, the apparent runt of the clutch, and an almost wary bronze.

Gain crooned encouragement and the bronze froze, standing up straight to look at her with large amber eyes. _Finally,_ her inner voice smiled, recognizing another part of the same whole.

_I see,_ the gold sighed in contentment and happiness.

When Taekwoon had asked her for a favor, she hadn’t really understood what it meant. She only knew that he was aware his time was short and he wanted someone to be able to keep an eye on things for a while. As a dragon that had experienced life through humans _and_ dragons alike, he thought she would be uniquely suited to help guide their path forward. Originally, it hadn’t been much more than her usual Paramour duties, and then unexpected motherhood and all that entailed, but as her life continued on as others fell victim to time, she became a mentor and general counselor.

As a god, Taekwoon had given her the gift of longevity by allowing his inner dragon to bond with her, thus extending her life. She didn’t know how long that would entail and neither did the dragon. They only knew that life continued and when Changjo had hatched, they’d felt the similarity to Jonghyun. Likewise, the experience had happened for Angel and Onew as well. And finally… she felt it one more time.

Her heart swelled with joy and pride as the bronze dragon slowly walked right up to her. “It’s alright,” Onew soothed reassuringly as he edged closer to try and comfort the hatchling.

The bronze eyed him once and then turned his attention to the gold towering over them. He opened his tiny mouth and gave a little roar at her. It made Gain snort and Onew nearly stumble. _Hello little one. Welcome back,_ she greeted as she lowered her head and nuzzled at his bronze body carefully.

He lifted up on his hind legs awkwardly and flopped against her face with uncoordinated wings and claws. “Leo!” Onew hissed in horrified surprise.

_It’s alright,_ Gain assured him as she moved her head to make sure he didn’t fall. Tiny claws flailed at her horns, almost like he was trying to make sure they were real.

_Gold,_ he blurted once, bumping his head against Gain’s forehead.

Onew exhaled once and nodded. “Yes. She’s gold. That’s good Leo, but you need to get off her now. You’re being rude,” he chided softly.

“Leo,” Jiho’s granddaughter laughed while she stepped in and carefully hefted him into her arms. “Sorry, Lady Gain. It’s the first time he’s seen a gold dragon,” she giggled, holding him so that his claws couldn’t find immediate purchase in her thin skin.

“Grandmother says it’s fine,” her grandson, the red dragon at her side, shrugged, blowing a gust of warm air at Leo. He opened his mouth to roar at the red with a tiny and all too cute sound. “Feisty isn’t he?” he asked with a chuckle.

Gain nodded and her granddaughter answered for her. “Keep an eye on that one. He’ll likely be a handful.”

“Thanks for the heads up,” the caretaker grinned as she started to wander back towards the general crowd out front.

“Come on, Leo. You can see Gain later. Now we gotta meet everybody. Maybe you’ll find someone you want to partner with,” Onew promised, his head swinging close to the bronze body. Though Leo didn’t say anything in response, Gain didn’t miss how his tail lightly brushed against the silver neck, curling around it just a touch.

_And so perhaps history will repeat itself,_ she mused, smiling at all the joy around them.

_Maybe better history,_ the inner dragon offered hopefully.

_Indeed._ Today was a good day. It had taken them a lot of bad and hard days to get here, rife with stress and tensions between factions and cities and growing pains, but today was good. Nothing could diminish that truth for the moment. And as she looked at the reborn Angel, Changjo, Onew, and Leo, the former Paramour could only hope that this time they might have the life they didn’t get to have before.

Maybe this time, fate would be kind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, I'm not entirely sure how to feel at this point. I'm happy. I really am, but after putting over 300,000 words on paper, it almost feels surreal saying I've actually completed the story. I know there's a lot that could be said in this world and maybe one day I'll come back to add more to it, but for now, I'm happy with how Taekwoon and Jinki's story has ended. And begun again. Like Gain, I do hope that in this iteration, they can be happy for a full lifetime. Or at least have a full lifetime this go around. haha
> 
> I do hope that the epilogue might have answered any further questions you had and if you do have questions, feel free to ask. I wanted to at least give a glimpse into the world they're moving forward in. Of course, there's the larger continents to consider too, but a lot has happened with the Aerie itself. And the people. If I didn't list anyone from the core story, it's not because there wasn't anything to say. There were just a lot of characters and not everyone connected to them made appearances. haha
> 
> If nothing else, thank you so very much for staying with me on this journey. I hope that you've enjoyed it and if you feel inclined to share your thoughts, I'd be much obliged. But if not, know that I appreciate your presence all the same and I wish you all nothing but the best! Thank you again and have a wonderful day!


End file.
